While the Czech Ledecka won a double in alpine skiing and snowboarding at the 2018 Winter Olympics, the French remain stuck at 15 medals on the clock. For the time being…
Fourth: it was the place of the day for the French, at the foot of the podium in the alpine ski team event as in alpine snowboard, where the Czech Ledecka took the opportunity to write the story, the first woman sacred in two sports at the same winter Olympics, in alpine skiing and snowboarding.
Latest hopes for France
For 12 / 100th of a second, it is a huge frustration that has seized the Blues, beaten by Norway for the podium, after being dominated in half (1-3) by the future Swiss Olympic champion.
France, with Pinturault, Worley, Noel and Baud Mugnier had nevertheless aligned its best arguments and was confident for a reward for the world title, won last year.
It will not be for this time, and the tricolor counter stuck at 15 medals, 36 hours from the end of the Olympics, and while the odds of more medals are dwindling.
Sylvain Dufour, in alpine snowboard, parallel giant slalom, was almost the French hero. But he also finished in 4th place …
It will now rely on Alexis Contin in the mass start of speed skating in the evening, or on the bob 4 driven by Loïc Costerg, 11th after the first two rounds on Saturday, who will be the last French vying for Sunday at the end of Games.
One more blue medal, and it will be a podium record at the Winter Olympics for the French team.
Historique Ledecka
Ester Ledecka of the Czech Republic made her bet: after her surprise victory in the super-G last week, in the alpine, she triumphed in snowboard (parallel giant slalom) on Saturday.
She became the first woman to bring back two gold medals in two different sports at the same Winter Olympics. The Soviet Anfisa Reztsova had managed a rare mixture (biathlon and cross-country skiing), but on several Olympic Games (1988, 1992, 1994).
And gentlemen had done it at the same Olympics, but at other times on nordic cross-country and Nordic skiing: Norwegians Thorleif Haug (Chamonix-1924) and Johan Gröttumsbraten (St. Moritz-1928).
Saturday, Switzerland, despite the absence of injured Lara Gut but led by slalom silver medalists Wendy Holdener and Ramon Zenhaeusern, became the first Olympic nation in parallel team slalom by beating Austria in the final, she, Marcel Hirscher.
At the Big Air, a star was present, but it was in the spans: Ivanka Trump, the eldest daughter and advisor to the President of the United States Donald Trump, attended Saturday morning the Big Air snowboarding events.
Selfie at the Big Air
Red suit and hat USA screwed on the head, Ivanka Trump was accompanied by Kim Jung-sook, the wife of the President of South Korea Moon Jae-in. The two women even played the game of a small selfie.
The daughter of the American president then attended the excellent performance of his compatriot Kyle Mack, who won the silver medal of the first Olympic competition of Big Air, preceded only by the Canadian Sebastien Toutant.
According to a White House spokeswoman, Donald Trump’s daughter was to meet several athletes or representatives of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during her trip.
Ivanka Trump arrived Friday in South Korea, where she will represent the United States Sunday night at the closing ceremony of the 23rd Olympic Winter Games.
Will she see it floating the flag of Russia on the Olympic Stadium?
Second case of officialized Russian doping
All options are possible because the IOC will look on Saturday and Sunday on the possible reintegration of Russia, the ban of the sports world for institutionalized doping.
The second case of doping in the delegation of Russian Olympic Athletes (OAR) – intervened Friday and concerns a bobsled – was made official Saturday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and seems to complicate the deal. Even if she abandoned the analysis of the sample B, as a sign of goodwill.
“I do not know if the executive board will make a decision today or if it will be decided tomorrow (Sunday), the discussion will probably take place with all the IOC members” Sunday at the end of the session, said the door IOC Spokesman Mark Adams.
The IOC Executive Board, the government of the forum, is expected to adopt a recommendation Saturday evening, before it is passed by the plenary session Sunday. As to when will all this be made public …
