Let's set all the polemics raised by this Chinese edition of the Olympic Games aside and focus on the long awaited sporting events. Who are the French athletes to support this summer? Which events will France shine in? 

Swimming

There are high hopes for the French swim team, thus far been deemed most likely to take first place in events. All eyes will be on Laure Manaudou, who has performed particularly well this year after a change in manager, and Alain Bernard, the world record-holder at the European Championships in Eindhoven last March.

Athletics

Athletics remains the focal points of the Olympics and is an event sector favoured by the French. We can count many champions in the French team: Christine Arron, who won a bronze medal in Athens in the 4x100m relay; Ladji Doucoure, who won two gold medals in the latest World Championships in Helsinki in 2005; and Eunice Barber originally from Sierra Leone (heptathlon and long jump) as well as Romain Mesnil, a brilliant pole volter.
Beijing's athletics events take place from 15th to 24th August and the French are expected to enter a team  of 47 French athletes (24 for the men, 23 for the women).

The brilliant Laura Flessel, currently number one on the all-time list of French female medal winners with 18 medals including 7 golds, is competing yet again and has lost none of her determination.

In the other disciplines, you'll be able to see the performances of Nicolas Touzaint in horse riding, Teddy Riner in Judo, Franck Dumoulin in shooting and Adrien Hardy and Jean-Baptiste Macquet in rowing.