The series continues. After Pascale Bouton for rowing, then Gilles de La Bourdonnaye for table tennis, FrancsJeux continues its bi-monthly gallery of interviews with sports managers from the Paris 2024 Games. This week, Frenchwoman Sarah Mehammedia, in charge of swimming and its five disciplines, spread across three different sites in the Olympic system and Paralympic.
FrancsJeux : Your life before COJO Paris 2024?
Sarah Mehammedia : I worked for ten years at the French Swimming Federation (FFN), where I was the coordinator of international events organized on French soil. I then took maternity leave before joining the COJO Paris 2024.
Your past experience of the Olympic Games?
I have never experienced the Games, but I had the chance to spend three weeks last year at the Tokyo Games on behalf of the COJO Paris 2024. I was thus able to observe all the swimming events very closely. , in liaison with the teams of the international federation (FINA) and my Japanese counterparts on the organizing committee.
A memorable memory from the Games?
It is recent, since it dates back to the Tokyo Games: the victory of Tunisian Ahmed Hafnaoui in the 400m freestyle. I was at the edge of the pool, in the front row. The emotion was very strong. I was also very struck by the victory of the French handball teams, men and women, at these same Tokyo Games. I was able to attend the two finals. I have played handball since I was little, these two gold medals moved me a lot.
The file at the top of the pile on your desk?
The last big file was the finalization of the competition calendar, events by events. It is now closed. I work a lot on transport and accommodation issues, but one subject particularly occupies me: recruiting my team. My first recruit will join us in September. My team will then expand at the end of the year.
Swimming competition venues: their strengths and challenges in the run-up to the Games?
Swimming will take place on three very different sites: the Défense Arena in Nanterre for racing swimming and water polo; the Olympic Aquatic Center (CAO) of Saint-Denis for artistic swimming, diving and water polo; the Alexandre III bridge in the heart of Paris for the marathon. Each of them has strengths, but also represents a challenge to overcome. The Alexandre III bridge, between the Grand Palais and Les Invalides, will be shared with the triathlon. The start of the swimming marathon will be given from one of the most beautiful bridges in Paris, with a view of the Eiffel Tower. The public will be close to the swimmers, something quite rare in the discipline. But everyone will have to find their place, between swimming and triathlon. At La Défense Arena, the challenge will be to bring temporary pools for the first time into an enclosure that was not intended to host swimming events. But with its 15.000 seats, the Arena promises to be a pretty fabulous site for showcasing the best swimmers in the world. Finally, the Olympic Aquatic Center is currently under construction. We will be the first to use it. As with the Defense Arena, we must plan ahead, work on plans with the architects. Once the Games are over, he will leave a great legacy in Saint-Denis and in the department.
Paris 2024 will be a success for swimming if…
We can call it a success if swimming in all its forms offers athletes and spectators an incredible experience. Success will also come from French medals. Finally, my team will have to have fun during the Games, and the volunteers will also have great moments, with the satisfaction of having been actors in the event.
