France is adorned with gold once again at the World Track Cycling Championships in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. After the success of Mathilde Gros in speed, the young Marie-Divine Kouamé (20 years old) climbed to the top step of the podium thanks to her triumph in the 500m ladies. The young Frenchwoman was ahead of the German Emma Hinze and the Chinese Yufang Guo in this non-Olympic event.
A new French record at stake
This is the first title for France in this discipline among the ladies for 23 years and the fifth consecutive title for Félicia Ballanger. Marie-Divine Kouamé even set a new French record by completing her race in 32 sec 835 at an average of 64.767 km/h. It put an end to Germany’s supremacy in this event which was removed from the Olympic program after the 2004 Olympics, just like the kilometer for men. The double title holder, the German Lea Sophie Friedrich, had been eliminated in qualifying the day after her defeat in the sprint final against Mathilde Gros.
Although the 500m has disappeared from the Olympic program, this world title bodes well before the 2024 Olympics in Paris which will take place on the same track and where Kouamé can hope to shine in the speed test.