Two days after his silver medal in downhill at the Beijing Olympics, Johan Clarey was the guest of France Bleu Pays de Savoie this Wednesday morning. “I’m starting to realize the reach and it’s a fantastic feeling,” said the 41-year-old Savoyard from Tignes.
Johan Clarey is an example of longevity and selflessness. At 41, the skier, originally from Tignes (Savoie), became, on Monday, Olympic downhill vice-champion at the Beijing Olympics, winning his very first Olympic medal. This Wednesday morning, he was the guest of France Bleu Pays de Savoie.
You won your first Olympic medal at 41, is that a culmination?
Yes, it is the apotheosis of my career. I can’t say it fell ready-made into my mouth. I had to work, do four Olympics to be able to recover it. I realize more and more, it’s been 48 hours now, I’m starting to digest it a bit and it’s just fantastic. I’m starting to realize a bit of the reach and it’s really a fantastic feeling because it didn’t come easily. I had a hard fight.
Precisely if you continued until the age of 41, wasn’t it intimately to win an Olympic medal?
It was my last Olympic race, so it was now or never for sure. Above all, I didn’t want to have any regrets. I wanted to do a good race, prepare for these Games as best I could and that’s exactly what I did, I arrived in good shape with confidence (2nd in Kitzbühel) to be able to do what I know do better. It’s a little bit of success too, because despite everything, we only have one minute and forty minutes every four years to be able to realize our Olympic dream. And I did, I’m very happy.
“The last season? I don’t know yet, but the medal is taken into account in my decision-making.” -Johan Clarey
A season mastered to perfection, is it the last of your career?
I don’t know, I haven’t decided yet. I’m going to talk to a lot of people around me, with the coaches, with my sponsors, to see if the desire will still be there at the end of the season. The medal is taken into account in my decision-making, that’s for sure.
Will you be returning to your resort in Tignes soon?
I’m going to get through as quickly as possible, even if I won’t be able to do it right away because I’m going to stay in Paris for a bit, do some media rounds. Then, I will come to Tignes to see my family and share that with the Tignards.