The French team for Olympic Games, composed by 52 athletes, including 18 relay members, was announced after the National Championships held last weekend in Albi. National Technical Director Frank Chevallier estimates that this team can bring back two to four medals from Beijing.

Yohann Diniz and Mehdi Baala will lead the contingent as the main medal contenders, according to Chevallier. Diniz, European 50km Race Walk champion in 2006 and World silver medallist in 2007, has been unlucky in 2008 with an injury during the winter and illness in spring, delaying his preparation. Focusing on shorter distances, he has shown raising form on four occasions at the 5000m track walk, becoming the third fastest in the world ever with 18:18.01 for this rarely contested event. His only road competition this year, 20km Race Walk at the National Championships in 1:22.31, was held under hot temperature and provided an ideal preparation for Beijing.

Mehdi Baala, the only 1500m runner to have ever won the European Championships twice (2002 and 2006), will take part in his third Olympic Games. Fourth in Sydney (2000), hampered by foot injury and eliminated in heats in Athens (2004), the 29- year-old has prepared for Beijing with two tactical races (victories in Interclub and SPAR European Cup with storming last lap) and two pace races (3:34.30 for first place in Villeneuve D'Ascq, 3:32.00 for fourth place in Rome). Now prepared for all eventualities, the 2003 World silver medallist will use his experience to try and take an Olympic medal, the only one missing in his honours.

Other hopes are based upon 2005 World champion Ladji Doucouré, who is coming back to form at 110m Hurdles; Romain Mesnil, World silver medallist last year as he is sorting out his technical problems at Pole Vault.

The men's 3000m Steeplechase and Women's Hammer Throw are the only events in which France lines-up three selected athletes, and surprises might come from this density.

The men's 4x100m, usually a prolific medal provider for France (five medals in 1920, 1964, 1968, 1980 and 1988) has theoretically the best team since they broke the World Record in 1990 (37.79). The addition of the individual times of Morinière, Sangouma, Trouabal and Marie-Rose was 40.78, slightly better than the 2008 crew 40.84 with Mbandjock, Pognon, Lemaîte and Alerte. The question remains if their three second differential thanks to their reputed baton exchange technique will be enough to help them challenge the U.S, Jamaican and Trinidadian teams who will line-up sub10sec individuals.

The main major name missing to the list is Eunice Barber, 33, former Long Jump and Heptathlon World Champion, who failed to qualify for her fifth Olympics during the National Championships with a 6.60w performance, a few months after a knee surgery.

P-J Vazel for the IAAF

MEN (season bests)

100m Martial Mbandjock 10.06, Ronald Pognon 10.13
400m Leslie Djhone 45.13
1500m Mehdi Baala 3:32.00
Marathon Simon Munyutu 2:09:24
110mH Samuel Coco-Viloin 13.46, Ladji Doucouré 13.33
3000m Steeple Chase Mahiedine Mekhissi Benabbad 8:18.28, Bouabdellah Tahri 8:12.72, Vincent Zouaoui Dandrieux 8:14.74
High Jump Mickaël Hanany 2.32
Pole Vault Jérôme Clavier 5.75, Romain Mesnil 5.71
Long Jump Salim Sdiri 8.21
Triple Jump Colomba Fofana 17.34
Shot Put Yves Niaré 20.72
Decathlon Romain Barras 7974
50km Walk Yohann Diniz, Eddy Riva
4x100m Mbandjock, Pognon, David Alerte, Christophe Lemaître, Aimé Nthepe, Manuel Reynaert
4x400m Djhone, Richard Maunier, Ydrissa M'Barke, Brice Panel, Teddy Venel

WOMEN (season bests)

100m Christine Arron 11.21
200m Muriel Hurtis-Houairi 22.50
800m Elodie Guégan 1:58.93
Marathon Christelle Daunay 2:28:24
100m Hurdles Reina-Flor Okori 12.65
3000m Steeple Chase Sophie Duarte 9:35.35
High Jump Mélanie Skotnik 1.90
Pole Vault Vanessa Boslak 4.50, Marion Buisson 4.50
Triple Jump Teresa Nzola Meso Ba 14.51
Discus Throw Mélina Robert-Michon 61.48
Hammer Throw Stéphanie Falzon 73.40, Manuèla Montebrun 74.40 , Amélie Perrin 71.36
Heptathlon Marie Collonvillé 6256, Antoinette Nana Djimou Ida 6204
4x100m Arron, Hurtis-Houairi, Ayedole Ikuesan, Lina Jacques-Sébastien, Carima Louami, Myriam Soumare
4x400m Guégan, Solen Désert, Aurore Kassambara, Virginie Michanol, Thélia Sigère, Phara Anacharsis.