Provider of at least one medal at each edition since the appearance of snowboard cross at the Olympic Games in 2006, the French team continues its fine tradition. On the site of Secret Garden, in Zhangjiakou, it was Chloé Trespeuch who, on Wednesday February 9, offered the silver medal to the French delegation, the sixth tricolor charm of the Beijing Olympics. She finished behind American Lindsey Jacobellis and ahead of Canadian Meryeta Odine.
The Frenchwoman was vengeful by setting foot on Chinese soil. Bronze medalist in Sochi in 2014, at only 19 years old, Chloé Trespeuch had missed the podium (5th) four years later, in Pyeongchang. She was able to get up to win a magnificent silver medal, at the height of her rank since she is in second place in the World Cup this season.
“It’s a whirlwind of emotions in my bodyshe reacted with a trembling voice at the microphone of France Télévisions. I’m so happy because it’s really the reward of a lot of work. I am very moved to share it with the team.”
In the final, despite a timid start as she is used to, the native of Bourg-Saint-Maurice (Savoie) quickly took her place in second position. On the other hand, she did not manage to take over the American Lindsey Jacobellis who offered herself the Olympic coronation at 36 years old. The only title that was missing from the immense record of the five-time world champion. “Obviously, the goal was goldslipped Trespeuch after the finish. I gave everything to get it but Lindsey [Jacobellis] rode better than me in the final.”
Throughout the day, Chloé Trespeuch ran with great serenity thanks, certainly, to her four podiums this year (including three second place). She won her round of 16 and then qualified without shaking in the next two rounds.
Trespeuch could have, should even have been joined in the final by another Habs. Olympic vice-champion in 2018 in Pyeongchang, Julia Pereira de Sousa Mabileau fell badly in the semi-finals when she was in the lead. The youngest French medalist in the history of the Winter Olympics was jostled by the Australian Belle Brockhoff. In tears at the finish, she was able to remobilize to win the small final, synonymous with fifth place.
“I got hooked. It’s hard, I won’t hide it from yous, confided Pereira de Sousa to France Télévisions. It’s been four years that I hear about this race every day, I was there and it passed under my nose in the space of two seconds. It’s hard. I deserved to go to the final.”
But the Blues can savor Chloé Trespeuch’s silver medal. It is not Julia Pereira de Sousa, holder of this metal in Pyeongchang, who will say the opposite: “The silver medal is very beautiful, I can tell her that!”she concluded before congratulating her.