A new sports weekend – excluding football – and a new appointment. “Le Parisien” invites you to analyze and decipher the results of the main clubs in Île-de-France.
Perfs: Ethiopian Ayana and Kenyan Kiprop win the Paris Marathon
MARATHON. This Paris marathon will have been a great celebration for the some 50,000 participants who set off from the Champs-Élysées to cover the mythical distance of 42.195 kilometers. A man and a woman have come together to deliver extraordinary times again this year.
Among the men, the young Ethiopian Abeje Ayana, just 20 years old and for his very first marathon, won in 2h07′15′’ ahead of his compatriot Guye Adola (2h07′35′’) and the Kenyan Josphat Boit (2h07 ′40′’). On the women’s side, it was the experienced Kenyan Helah Kiprop who snatched the victory on the finish line… barely 0.25 seconds ahead of the Ethiopian Atalel Anmut, who finished with the same time (2h23′19′’ each). The Ethiopian Filkrte Wereta (2h23′22′’) completes the podium. Mehdi Frère (10th in 2h11′05′’) and Anaïs Quemener (11th in 2h32′12′’) are the first Frenchmen!
The place: the Halle Carpentier crowns Tours and Béziers
VOLLEY. Usual lair of basketball players in Paris, the Halle Carpentier (Paris XIII) changed its decor and ball for a Sunday to host the two Coupe de France finals. Among the women, Béziers won its very first coronation in the competition by snatching a success in five rounds (25-22, 21-25, 25-17, 15-25, 15-10) against a Racing club of Cannes which will have offered a lot of resistance. The Angels break the curse after losing their last two finals.
On the men’s side, Tours left his opponent no chance in an enticing and unprecedented duel on paper. Fast against the novices of Nice, the tenfold winner of the Coupe de France easily went to obtain an eleventh trophy, in three sets (25-12, 25-21, 25-18). The TVB, holder of the record for titles in the competition and crowned the previous time in 2019, thus takes its revenge on last season, where it lost in the final against Chaumont.
The shock: the Wembanyama Mets outclassed by Monaco
BASKET. Big disappointment for Boulogne-Levallois and Victor Wembanyama, largely dominated by Monaco (87-68) on Sunday at home, in the clash at the top of the championship. A high-flying match in the first period, but without suspense in the end, as the “Roca Team” was above in the second act. Wembanyama was rather discreet in attack, well muzzled (8 pts, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks).
The Monegasques take the opportunity to take a big step towards first place in the regular season, seven days from the end. Dolphins, the Metropolitans 92 are indeed three defeats behind the championship leader, and have probably missed the boat.
Disappointments: Racing and Stade Français remain docked
RUGBY. Sad afternoon for the Ile-de-France teams involved in the Challenge Cup on Saturday. April 1 turned into a bad joke for Stade Français. While they had their round of 16 in hand, Gonzalo Quesada’s players let him slip away in the very last minutes, for a finally wide setback against LOU (24-41) in a 100% French shock. Exhausted after a big battle, the Ile-de-France residents slipped at Jean-Bouin, where they were leading by 12 points two-thirds of the way through.
No more inspired, the Racing 92 was eaten by Lions. Knocked out of the big European Cup, the Ciel et Blancs in the revised fifteen had a complicated discovery of the Challenge Cup, and were swept away 51-28 in South Africa. The four tries of Thomas Moukoro (12th, 29th), Ben Volavola (48th) and Donovan Taofifenua (59th) were not enough, the Sud-af were too strong, passing seven tries to the Frenchies. The European course ends there for Racing, which will be able to concentrate on the Championship.
The number: 2
HANDBALL. After 22 days, there is still a two-point gap in the Starligue standings between leader Montpellier (50) and runner-up PSG (48). On Friday, the two best teams of the season won ahead of the other two Ile-de-France teams. For his reunion with his former club, the new coach of Ivry Didier Dinart logically fell but his team resisted well. Almost the same scenario at Coubertin where Créteil, with a slump, came back to score to worry Paris who are doing well (37-40). Montpellier and PSG meet this Tuesday, April 4 in the semi-finals of the Coupe de France.
THE RESULTS
BASKET. Betclic Elite (27th day): Le Portel – PARIS (84-71); Cholet-NANTERRE (80-86); Monaco – BOULOGNE-LEVALLOIS (87-68).
HANDBALL. Liqui Moly Starligue (22nd day): CRETEIL – PSG (37-40); Montpellier-IVRY (26-23). Proligue (23rd day): Villeurbanne – TREMBLAY (26-28); Caen-PONTAULT (23-25). French Cup F. (1/2 final): PARIS 92 – Besançon (30-24).
RUGBY. Challenge Cup (8th final): STADE FRANCAIS – Lyon (24-41); Johannesburg – RACING 92 (51-28). Pro D2 (26th day): MASSY – Grenoble (7-36).
VOLLEYBALL. French Cup (finals, Halle Carpentier). Women: Béziers – Cannes (25-22, 21-25, 25-17, 15-25, 15-10). Men: Nice – Tours (12-25, 21-25, 18-25).