Double Olympic medalist
Charline Picon - Olympic champion in 2016 in Rio - put her title at stake on the Games of Tokyo 2021. Before the final, she was ranked 3rd, ahead of the Chinese Yunxiu Lu and followed by the English Emma Wilson. She was thus assured to win a second Olympic medal, except abandonment.
After the last event, Charline is ranked second with the silver medal and thus becomes the Olympic vice-champion, still behind the Chinese athlete. She becomes the first French double medalist in sailing.
"I did the best race possible today, I had to be really strong, because the conditions were very hard: big heat, no wind, only physical. I am proud of the race I did. At one point I thought it was going to be gold, because the Chinese was a little further away, but it's cash. I take this medal. It is a great happiness! It's magical. Many do not realize how hard it is to be in Olympic preparation. These are huge life projects. This performance rewards the work of a team, my partners, the coaches who put me in unique conditions. In RS:X there has never been an Olympic double, I am the only one and will remain the only one since this is the end of RS:X. I hope to have thrilled my family and friends in France, that's what I like about sport, the emotions. I can't wait to see them again, it's my daughter's birthday today, she's 4 years old. Before the start there was the death of Lise Vidal, a friend and a great competitor, I was told that she would blow in my sails, I have a thought for her today too."
First try, first Olympic medal
A few minutes later, it was Thomas Goyard's turn, who participated in his first Olympic Games, to win the silver medal, behind the Dutchman Kiran Badloe.
" Since the beginning of the week, I went through all the emotions. This final: an OCS, a blown start, a second one and then I said to myself, it's not possible, they're playing a joke on me after one lap, they could have told me before but I waited patiently for the Chinese to cross the finish line, I calculated, recalculated and I said to myself, I think it's good, it's incredible. It's a crazy thing, I don't really have the words. I am happy but I don't realize how happy I am! I am happy for me but I am sad for the Italian and the Polish who are exceptional athletes and who frankly deserved something. That's sport, it's hard but that's how it is. "
