© KEYSTONE / SALVATORE DI NOLFI
Mathilde Gremaud gave herself a superb gift on her 22nd birthday.
The Fribourgeoise was adorned with bronze on Tuesday in the Big Air event of the Beijing Olympics, won by the 18-year-old Chinese Eileen Gu ahead of the French Tess Ledeux. Geneva’s Sarah Höfflin finished 6th in this final.
“It’s crazy. I gave everything I had, and I’m so happy to leave with a medal. It’s the most beautiful gift, that’s for sure,” said the skier from La Roche. . “I am super happy to have this award following having lived through a difficult summer”, during which she had felt a lot of pressure.
Gu and Ledeux above the lot
Silver medalist in slopestyle in 2018 in PyeongChang behind Sarah Höfflin, Mathilde Gremaud therefore won the second Olympic medal of her young career on Tuesday. La Gruérienne has accumulated 182.50 points thanks to her first two jumps, once morest 188.25 and 187.50 respectively for Eileen Gu and Tess Ledeux.
Mathilde Gremaud has no regrets at the end of this final. She obtained 89.25 points for her Double Cork 1260, then 93.25 points for her famous Switch Double Cork 1440. Virtually in silver following the first two runs, she fell – without gravity – while attempting a 1620 on her third run. .
The Fribourgeoise had to take all the risks, following Eileen Gu had landed a 1620 on her third jump to take the lead. Credited with 94.50 points following collecting 93.75 points for her first run, Eileen Gu was a breath ahead of Tess Ledeux (94.50 and 93.00 points over the first two runs).
Höfflin more than 20 points from bronze
Sarah Höfflin, whose figures lacked difficulty, for her part might not have hoped for much better in this competition. The Genevan failed more than 20 points from Mathilde Gremaud. She will shoot her best card in the slopestyle event, whose qualifications will take place on Sunday and the final next Monday.