He responded again. A year after his title of world champion in Italy, Mathieu Faivre won the bronze medal on the giant of the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing (China). The Swiss Marco Odermatt was crowned Olympic champion and the Slovak Zan Kranjec took silver.
The Niçois knew how to brave the elements. Despite the snow, the wind, the fog and the delay, Mathieu Faivre was able to stay focused and in his race to secure a new prestigious podium. Third in the first heat, the reigning world champion in the specialty, who had not done better than a 5and place this season in the World Cup (in Adelboden), ensured in the second, taming a track that was demanding to say the least given the conditions, to bring France the 8and medal of these Games.
This charm is also a revenge for the Habs. In 2018, he was deprived of the Peyongchang Olympics (South Korea) after being fired for comments deemed contrary to team spirit. But four years later, the man with a strong character, now 30 years old, has matured and put his temperament at his service to perform at the time of the big meetings, as in Cortina d’Ampezzo there is a year and in Beijing.
If Mathieu Faivre was at the party, Alexis Pinturault was once again unable to join the fight for a medal. Holder of the globe in the discipline but reduced by a shoulder injury, he nevertheless managed to climb back to fifth place after setting the 11th fastest time in the first heat. He finished tied with his compatriot Thibaut Favrot. There is now only slalom left for the Savoyard, where he is not really successful this season to hope to return to France with a medal.
Mathieu Faivre ensured in dantesque conditions. The Frenchman can be proud of his performance today. @FedFranceSki I #Alpine skiing I #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/jNbCgDr5jZ
— Olympic Games (@jeuxolympiques) February 13, 2022