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Algeria hopes that the support of millions of French people in the North African country will allow the French team to perform as well as they did at the home Olympics in Paris in July and August.
World Championship silver medalist Djamel Sedjati, the inheritor of Algeria’s fine tradition of middle-distance running, will once again be the most watched medal hope, hoping to make up for the regrets of the Tokyo Olympics.
Three years ago, Algeria sent 41 athletes, including 13 women, to compete in 14 sports in the Japanese capital, but Sedjati and steeplechase athlete Bilal Tabouti were disqualified from the Olympics after they failed COVID-19 tests upon arrival.
Sejati’s 1:43.23 in the 800m at the Stockholm Diamond League last month was the fifth-fastest time in the world this year, giving him a chance to add to the 17 medals the Algerian has won since his first Olympic appearance in 1964.
Four of Algeria’s five Olympic gold medals came in middle-distance events, with winners including Taofiq Makhloufi, Noureddine Mosely, Hasiba Bourmeka and Nooriya Mirah-Benedar.
Hailedine Barbary, head of the Algerian delegation to the Paris Olympics, told Reuters that medal hopes at the Paris Olympics are not limited to track and field events.
“As we all know, the Olympics is the most intense sporting event in the world and it is difficult to predict medals and colors,” he said.
“Algeria has champions with the quality and tradition to be on the podium, for example in boxing, athletics and gymnastics.
“Preparations are going 100 percent as per plan and we are confident that our athletes will give their best to salute the flag.”
Barbary expects the team to be larger than the one at the Tokyo Olympics and may add several swimmers, which would bring the number of events to 15.
Before Algeria competed in its first Tokyo Olympics as an independent nation in 1964, its athletes Bougra El Wafi (1928) and Alain Mimoun (1956) had won Olympic marathon gold medals for the colonial country, representing France.
Ties between the two countries have remained strong since independence, with more than six million French people having Algerian ancestry.
Barbary added: “This Games will be very important for Algerians because we have a large community in France who will strongly support our champions in various sports.”
“Algeria has made all the arrangements to open a hotel near the Olympic Village, which will serve as a focal point for communication between our champions and the Algerian community in France.
“Cultural, sports and community events will also be held to strengthen the bonds of friendship with participating countries.”
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