With ‘Les Bleus’ out of Rugby World Cup, France’s focus now on Paris Olympics
French fabrication company Comat Coffrages’ head Florian Bernard (centre) and some members of his staff at the company’s headquarters in Miramas, Southern France, on October 13, 2023. Businesses in Miramas are gearing up for the 2024 Paris Olympics Team Kenya training camp.
What you need to know:
- France lost 28-29 to South Africa in last Sunday’s quarter-final at the Stade de France to bow out of the tournament with their heads held up high after putting up a brilliant fight
- In the Southern France city of Miramas, Florian Bernard, head of fabrication company Comat Coffrages, was rooting for France ahead of last Sunday’s rugby quarter-final but will now quickly shift focus to next year’s Olympics
- National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) secretary general Francis Mutuku and committee member Barnaba Korir arrived in Miramas on Thursday for further preparations for the Team Kenya camp
With hosts ‘Les Bleus’ having painfully exited the Rugby World Cup race after falling narrowly to South Africa’s ‘Springboks’ last weekend, the rugby fever in France has somehow subsided.
But the spirit of sport is very much alive in this European nation with Paris hosting next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games with the former running from July 26 to August 11 and the latter from August 28 to September 8.
France lost 28-29 to South Africa in last Sunday’s quarter-final at the Stade de France to bow out of the tournament with their heads held up high after putting up a brilliant fight.
The defeat came just two days after a Kylian Mbappe double handed France’s football team a 2-1 away win over The Netherlands in Amsterdam to qualify for the Euro 2024 finals in Germany with two games to spare.
In the Southern France city of Miramas, Florian Bernard, head of fabrication company Comat Coffrages, was rooting for France ahead of last Sunday’s rugby quarter-final but will now quickly shift focus to next year’s Olympics.
South Africa rugby fans gather at a pub in the public square at Chatelet, central Paris, ahead of last Sunday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final match between France and South Africa at the Stade de France.
Established in 2008, Comat Coffrages designs, manufactures, rents and sells metal formwork for structural works around France.
The company is also a strong supporter of sport, backing local handball, rugby and padel (a tennis-like sport) sports clubs.
Comat Coffrages has been contracted to handle structural works at some sports venues in Miramas which Team Kenya has adopted as its pre-Olympic Games training centre next year.
“I’m so proud to welcome Kenya to Miramas to prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” Bernard told me as he autographed a company-branded, miniature rugby ball.
“Next year our focus turns to athletics and to the Olympic Games,” he said ahead of last Sunday’s loss.
“Our company Comat Coffrages is preparing materials for the construction of facilities that will make it easier for Team Kenya to prepare for the Olympics,” he explained.
“We have over 30 people working at our company that has been in operation for 15 years and which has constructed so many facilities in France.
“We deliver construction materials everywhere and we are looking forward to the Olympics and hope to see many French medals… Karibu Miramas Team Kenya!”
French fabrication company Comat Coffrages’ head Florian Bernard autographs a miniature rugby ball at the company’s headquarters in Miramas, Southern France, on October 13, 2023. Businesses in Miramas are gearing up for the 2024 Paris Olympics Team Kenya training camp.
National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) secretary general Francis Mutuku and committee member Barnaba Korir arrived in Miramas on Thursday for further preparations for the Team Kenya camp.
Already, several Kenyan sportspeople have been training in Miramas as a build-up to the Olympics, including Kenya’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala.
Comat Coffrages is among the local companies that is supporting the Meeting Miramas Metropole “Silver Label” indoor track and field meeting that will run on February 2.
Athletics Kenya is considering the possibility of the Miramas meeting to double up as Kenya’s trials for the World Athletics Indoor Championships that will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, in March, 2024.
