A proverb says, "If yesterday was bad, it doesn't matter, today there is new light, new dreams... new life." This is the philosophy of the Algerian Olympic Committee as they face the upcoming month of competition in the French capital.

The silver medalist from the last World Championships, Djamel Sedjati, will be the torchbearer, representing the strong tradition of Algerian middle-distance running. He will once again be the main hopeful for a medal as he seeks to redeem his disappointment at the last Tokyo Games.

At that time, Algeria entrusted 41 athletes to the Japanese capital three years ago to compete in 14 sports, but Sedjati and steeplechase runner Bilal Tabti faced issues with COVID-19 tests upon arrival and were immediately ruled out of the Olympic event.

Sedjati's time in the 800 meters at the Stockholm Diamond League last June was recorded as the fifth-best this year, creating a perfect scenario to increase the 17 medals the North Africans have won since their Olympic debut back in 1964.

Algeria has won five gold medals in its history. Interestingly, four of them came from middle-distance running, thanks to national athletic legends like Taoufik Makhloufi, Noureddine Morceli, Hassiba Boulmerka, and Nouria Merah-Benida.

However, despite this clear inclination towards track events, Kheireddine Barbari, head of the Algerian delegation at the Paris Games, wanted to distance himself from that stereotype, declaring that the medal hopes in Paris "are not limited to just that discipline," seeking more opportunities in other sports where they are also "very prepared to honor the national flag."

"Algeria has champions with the qualities and tradition to appear on the podiums, such as in boxing and athletics, as well as in gymnastics," declared Barbari optimistically ahead of 26 July, the opening date.

Before Algeria competed independently in 1964, its athletes represented the colonial power France, coincidentally the host 60 years later, with Boughera El Ouafi (1928) and Alain Mimoun (1956) winning Olympic gold in the marathon.

Since the independence of the North African giant, the bond between the two countries has remained relatively strong, with over six million French people having Algerian ancestry, making them a significant group in French ethnography.

The connection is so powerful that Barbari revealed, "Algeria has taken all necessary measures to open a guest house near the Olympic Village, serving as a communication point between our champions and the Algerian community in France."

"This edition of the Games will be great for Algerians due to the large community we have in France, who will undoubtedly support our champions in all disciplines," Barbari concluded when asked about his opinion on the Parisian stage.