Back to the day’s events.
His presence in Beijing as the flag bearer of the French delegation was already a great victory, but Kevin Rolland is a “dreamer”. Yes, its 6and place in the final of the freestyle skiing half-pipe is already good, but the skier from La Plagne (Savoie) had a little idea in mind: to get on the podium like in Sochi in 2014 with his bronze medal, three years after having come close to the dead.
“I am a dreamer, I like to dream. This medal, no one believed in it. I believed in it. And in life, what’s important is to believe in yourself, to allow yourself to dream, and that’s how you accomplish great things. said the 32-year-old Frenchman, moved, after his third and last Olympics.
The New Zealander Nico Porteous was crowned Olympic champion ahead of the Americans David Wise and Alex Ferreira. In the “kiwi” clan, the victory was celebrated by a snow haka. We let you give the artistic note for this Ka mate improvised.
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This time, Alexander Bolshunov relieved the suspense a bit. After his demonstration during the skiathlon at the start of these Games, the representative of the Russian Olympic Committee emerged at the end of the 50 km in cross-country skiing to win his third title (with the relay). He is ahead of his compatriot Ivan Yakimushkin and the Norwegian Simen Krueger, “only” relegated to five and seven seconds respectively.
In a race reduced from 50 to 30 kilometers due to the extreme cold at the Zhangjiakou site (− 16 degrees), the Frenchman Clement Parisse accompanied the best for a long time before giving in on Bolshunov’s last acceleration. He finishes 7and, three places ahead of the eternal Maurice Manificat. Jules Lapierre and Adrien Backscheider are 15and and 34and.
Belgium had been waiting for this since 1948 and the title of the couple Micheline Lannoy and Pierre Baugniet in figure skating in Saint-Moritz (Switzerland). Bart Swings became Olympic champion in the mass start (mass start) in speed skating. Silver medalist in 2018, Bart Swings is a mass start specialist, like his worthy home stretch of a sprint by Wout van Aert in July 2021 on the Champs-Elysées.
Finalists in men’s curling, Great Britain was at least assured of not returning empty from Beijing. But for gold, it will be necessary to iron. The Sweden indeed dominated the British during an undecided final (5-4).
With biathlete Marte Olsbu Roeiseland (five medals including three titles), Irene Schouten is the other great lady of these Games. This Saturday, the Dutch won the mass start in speed skating as she had done in the 3,000 and 5,000 m. His bronze medal in the relay would almost “stain” in his Beijing record.
For the premiere of the French women’s bobsleigh, Margot Boch (the driver) and Carla Sénéchal (the pusher) finished in 13and square. The title went to the Germans Laura Nolté and Deborah Levi.
Gold for China in figure skating. After winning silver in 2018, the pair Sui Wenjing-Han Cong withstood the pressure during the free skate to win just ahead of two Russian couples, Tarasova-Morosov and Mishima-Galliamov.
Worn by Juraj Slafkovsky, 17, double scorer, the Slovakia won the first medal in its history at the Olympic Games in ice hockey with bronze, after beating Sweden (4-0) on Saturday in the small final of the men’s tournament.
Discover tomorrow’s menu.
Come on, let’s close. For this last Olympic day, the vagaries of the weather offer France a final chance of a medal with the team event in alpine skiinginitially scheduled for Saturday but postponed to Sunday due to the wind. Fourth in 2018, the French are aiming for the podium in this mixed event with Tessa Worley, Alexis Pinturault, Coralie Frasse Sombet and Mathieu Faivre. The round of 16 is scheduled for 2 a.m. (Paris time), final at 3:37 a.m.
The podium is already too far for Dorian Hauterville, Romain Heinrich, Jerome Laporal and Lionel Lefebvre14and before the third and fourth round in the four-man bobsleigh (2:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m.). The victory should be played, as often, between the two German crews.
In ice Hockeythe Finns will face the Russian Olympic Committee with the hope of finally winning gold after defeats in the final in Calgary in 1988 and Turin in 2006 (start of the match at 5:10 am).
In cross-country skiing (4 hours), three French women are at the start of the 30 km free. It is Coralie Bentz, Flora Dolci and Delphine Claude. The latter can claim a place in the top ten, or even a little better, but a podium would be quite an achievement, especially with a place already promised to the Norwegian Therese Johaug.
The Games in a snapshot.
She was in the running for a medal or better, but the Japanese Nana Takagi made a mistake in one of the last corners on the mass start in speed skating.
The Olympians on the microphone.
“Sometimes it feels like their hearts aren’t in the right place, that it’s a greedy game. »
For the last competition of his career, the Briton Gus Kenworthy did not keep his tongue in his pocket and too bad for the instructions of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Eighth in ski half-pipe, Kenworthy (silver medalist in slopestyle in 2014 for the United States) criticized the attribution of these Games to China.
“When there are human rights atrocities in the country and a bad stance on LGBT rights, that needs to be addressed… The IOC could help dictate that change by pushing certain issues,” insisted the skier who revealed his homosexuality in 2015 and a fervent defender of LGBT rights in sport.
17
They don’t have mountains, but they do have medals. The Dutch men and women again had a good harvest during these Games with 17 “charms” (eight in gold, five in silver and four in bronze). A total that will not change on Sunday for a good reason: the speed skating competitions are over. On the Beijing ring, the Netherlands again crushed the competition with twelve medals including six titles.
Snapshot of our special envoys.
Last days of the Olympic Games and there are crowds at the small post office installed in the press center of Zhangjiakou. Most of the people queuing are Beijing 2022 volunteers and employees. They send souvenirs and merchandise to their families. For them, the party – well, so to speak – is far from over. The Paralympic Games (March 4 to 13) are already approaching and after that, everyone will have to respect a twenty-one-day quarantine before being able to return home. Some have been in the “bubble” since the beginning of January, hence the need for a “physical” link with their loved ones. In a little less than a month and a half, volunteers and employees of the Games will be able to breathe.