Good habits do not change and the sport continues to delight young and old. Le Parisien offers a selection of issues before each weekend and details the events not to be missed in Île-de-France. Overview.
The event of the weekend: the Paris Half-Marathon
COURSE A PIED. The Harmonie Mutuelle Semi de Paris will once again take place this Sunday. Running lovers and diligent runners in the capital will be able to put on their finest pairs to try to beat new records for one of the first races of the year, before the Paris Marathon (April 2). Nearly 43,000 runners are expected, as every year, at the start of this race, considered one of the most popular events in the calendar.
New European record holder in the 5 km of Monaco, finalist of the Olympic Games in the 5000m and the Worlds in the 10,000 m, the Frenchman Jimmy Gressier will tackle his first half. With him, some of the best Frenchmen will also be at the start: Mehdi Frère (3rd French performer over the distance in 1h 00′ 32′’), Nemourien Florian Carvahlo, Hassan Chahdi, Benjamin Choquert or even Yoann Kowal. Several Kenyans are also announced, for men and women, where the Tricolores Marjolaine Nicolas and Léa Navarro are particularly expected.
If you are not one of the many runners, but you also want to experience the event because one of your relatives is one of the registrants, the organizers have set up a application which allows you to follow the race in real time, thanks to live tracking. It is possible to follow up to 10 people at the same time, with their location on the map, their ranking upon arrival, by simply entering the number of the connected bib. To support the runners all along the course, several options are available to you: follow them by bike or by public transport, certain zones being prohibited with the parking and the circulation during the race for the cars.
A derby to stay in the race: Massy welcomes Pontault
HANDBALL. There are a few throughout the season, and this one is worth a visit like the others. See you this Friday evening at the Center Omnisports Pierre de Coubertin in Massy, which welcomes its neighbor Seine-et-Marnais, Pontault. For the Essonne club (10th 3 points from 6th), this is probably the last chance to grab a place in the play-off. For the Pontellois, 3rd in the standings, victory is essential to continue dreaming of 1st place, synonymous with a rise in the Starligue. An opportunity that Tremblay (2nd two points from Dijon) will not want to miss with the reception of Sarrebourg.
In Liqui Moly Starligue, only Créteil (12th) plays at home. The Cristoliens, who must ensure their maintenance, welcome this Friday the solid formation of Dunkirk (9th). PSG, co-leader with Montpellier, will go to Chambéry (4th) this Sunday, while Ivry (13th), still looking for success in 2023, will play for survival in Sélestat (14th).
The poster not to be missed: Le Plessis-Robinson welcomes the leader
VOLLEY. A whole world separates Le Plessis-Robinson and Tours in the standings, or more exactly 34 points. Tours is 18 wins in 22 games, no set conceded in the last three days, eight national titles between 2004 and 2019, and a qualification, this Tuesday, for the final of the Coupe de France (against Nice). On the Alto-Séquanais side, we tend to do everything to maintain ourselves at a time when the championship is already in its home stretch. As a result, the Hauts-de-Seine club finds itself facing a major challenge. To make matters worse, Antonin Rouzier, his most experienced element, announced two weeks ago that he was ending his career due to a serious sprain in his right ankle. Le Plessis-Robinson will always be able to call on his recent past to give himself heart to the work. On February 18, he dictated his law to Montpellier, the reigning French champion (3-1).
The unusual meeting: when big arms are in the spotlight
BRAS OF FER. Affiliated since 2019 to the French Federation of Force (FFFORCE), sport arm wrestling is a sport recognized by the Ministry of Sports halfway between a discipline of force and combat. This Saturday, from 5 p.m., the 168 best athletes from Metropolitan France and the Overseas Territories (French Polynesia/Reunion/New Caledonia) take part in the French Championship, organized by the FFFORCE, the Ligue de Force Île-de-France. -France and the Paris Bras de Fer club. The competition takes place in Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Philippe-Pivert gymnasium) where 26 clubs will be represented.
Although being an ancient activity, arm wrestling as a sport has recently been codified and organized. Governed by very specific rules, it reveals a perfect harmony between the sport of combat and the sport of strength. Technique, strategy and strength are essential criteria to perform in this discipline.
THE PROGRAM
BASKET. Betclic Elite (22nd day): Gravelines-Dunkirk – PARIS (Saturday, 8 p.m.); Monaco – NANTERRE (Sunday, 5 p.m.). Pau-Lacq-Orthez – Boulogne-Levallois will be played on Tuesday March 7.
HANDBALL. Liqui Moly Starligue (19th day): Créteil – Dunkirk (Friday, 8.30 p.m., Palais des Sports R.Oubron); Sélestat – IVRY (Friday, 8.30 p.m.); Chambéry – PSG (Sunday, 4 p.m.). Proligue (20th day, Friday, 8.30 p.m.): MASSY – PONTAULT (Centre Omnisports Pierre de Coubertin); TREMBLAY – Sarrebourg (Sports Palace).
HOCKEY. Ligue Magnus (44th and final day): CERGY-PONTOISE – Bordeaux (Friday, 8.30 p.m., Aren’Ice).
RUGBY. Top 14 (20th day): Toulon – STADE FRANCAIS (Saturday, 9:05 p.m.); RACING 92 – Toulouse (Sunday, 9:05 p.m., Paris La Défense Arena). Pro D2 (23rd day): Biarritz – MASSY (Friday, 7.30 p.m.).
VOLLEY. Ligue A (23rd day): LE PLESSIS-ROBINSON – Tours (Saturday, 7 p.m., Omnisports area); Sète – PARIS (Sunday, 4.30 p.m.). Women’s A League (22nd day): LEVALLOIS – Béziers (Saturday, 6 p.m., Palais des Sports Marcel Cerdan); Pais d’Aix Venelles – STADE FRANCAIS PARIS SAINT-CLOUD (Saturday, 7.30 p.m.).