It took a long time to come across the sparkling blue gaze and the slung smile of Arthur Bauchet. Because this Thursday, the 21-year-old went far beyond the pain to win an improbable bronze medal after a formidable second run of giant slalom. After the two golds in the downhill and the super-combined, it is a third medal for him at these Beijing Games, the seventh in his personal collection (4 in silver at the 2018 Games). ” It’s crazy ! Yes, it’s a bronze medal. But she honestly tastes like gold to me, declared Arthur Bauchet. I’ve come so far…I couldn’t do more. »
For those who doubted the handicap of the young man suffering from spastic paraparesis, a rare and invisible genetic disease which continues to reduce his physical abilities, it was enough to see him on arrival. Collapsed in the area, relieved by Manoel Bourdenx, he found renewed energy to pick the bouquet of medalists, sitting in a wheelchair. Behind, it is lying that Arthur Bauchet had to wait before his violent crisis and the spasms calm down a little. ” I struggled “he slips with amazing modesty.
A medal that “comes from very, very, very far”
But the boy is not ready to complain. He prefers to talk about skis, sensations, pleasure despite the pain. “This medal, it comes from very, very, very far away, he confessed. I already thought I had pushed myself to the end physically on the super-combined; there, I pushed myself even further, to my last entrenchments. I had a good seizure for half an hour. It’s the game, it’s the sport. »
Sixth in the first race, we didn’t dare imagine that he could grab enough to get on the podium. “I was not at all happy with my first run, they (organizers) had really rotated, it was very physical as traced. Between 22 and 24 meters, knowing that we have skis with a radius of thirty meters, he detailed. You really had to push hard on the legs. This morning (Thursday), I may have started a little too much on restraint, wanting to try to ensure a little too much to get to the bottom. But it really wasn’t the right solution. It happened, it cost me dearly. Behind, I said to myself: “You just have to send everything”. »
“I said to myself: ‘Give everything you have physically, the head will take over afterwards.’ Again, I crossed that line and it was really hard…”
This time, Arthur Bauchet did not dance or sing. He rested before restarting the machine as he could. “I was lucky that it was Benj(amin Ruer), our trainer, who draws the second run. I knew he was going to draw a bit for me. For the French, but for me too, that he was going to make him spin a little more. Afterwards, he can’t do exactly what he wants but this layout suited me better. And in my head, I said to myself: “Give all you have physically, the head will take over afterwards.” Again, I crossed that line and it was really hard…”
From now on, and after two days of rest, there will only be the slalom left to compete for Arthur Bauchet. His favorite discipline, the one he likes the most. But who intervenes late, when he is physically exhausted. Still, with him and his immense champion noggin, you never know…