Skier Mathieu Faivre took third place in the giant slalom at the Beijing Olympics. The double world champion thus won an 8th medal for France, currently ranked 13th. Skiers had to contend with grueling weather conditions, coping with fog
Mathieu Faivre clinched the giant bronze of the Beijing Olympics on Sunday, won by Swiss ultra-favorite Marco Odermatt, bringing France its eighth medal in particularly trying snow conditions. Third fastest in the first heat, the reigning world champion in the specialty finished 1 sec 34 behind the leader of the big globe race, while the Slovenian Zan Kranjec (19/100th from Odermatt) took a second heat dazzling to snatch money. France ranks 13th in the ranking.
Tea #AlpineSkiing – men’s giant slalom #Bronze medal belongs to Mathieu Faivre (France), who wins his first Olympic medal!#Beijing2022 | #StrongerTogether | @EquipeFRA | @mathieufaivre
— Olympics (@Olympics) February 13, 2022
Alexis Pinturault, holder of the globe in the discipline but reduced by a shoulder injury, rose to fifth place after setting the 11th time in the first heat, tied with Thibaut Favrot (1 sec 69 behind the winner).
Difficult weather conditions
A surprise guest from this arid massif, hitherto bathed in bright sunshine, the snow transformed the race into a high-risk rodeo, knocking out nearly half – 41 – of the 89 entered.
In this game, Marco Odermatt once again showed his talents as a tightrope walker, failing to slip on the flank in the first run before shaving a door in the second, but at 24 years old he offered himself his first Olympic title. The Swiss concretizes his overwhelming domination over the discipline this season (4 victories and a second place in five races), and makes up for his missed Olympic debut, with a 7th place in downhill and an exit from the track in super-G.