2024 Olympic Games – triathlon: Cassandre Beaugrand brings a historic gold medal to France

2024-07-31 07:55:12

Cassandre Beaugrand gave France a historic gold medal on Wednesday. This is the first individual highlight of the French triathlon since the appearance of the discipline in Sydney in 2000. A historical anomaly finally corrected. The Blues even believed for a long time a double on the podium but Emma Lombardi finally finished fourth.

Published on: 07/31/2024 – 09:55Modified at: 07/31/2024 – 10:33

3 min

The first French triathlon champion! Announced among the favorites, Cassandre Beaugrand took his place, Wednesday July 31, and crossed the finish line alone on the Alexandre-III Bridge, in the center of the capital.

Read again🔴 Follow the Olympic Day on July 31 live

The 27-year-old triathlete, who beat the Swiss Julie Derron and the British Beth Potter, brought France its sixth gold medal, and 19th in all metals, since the beginning of the Paris Games. Her compatriot Emma Lombardi finished fourth, at only 22 years old.

The delay was until the end on the suspension of the event due to the quality of the water in the Seine, but the bet of the organizers was saved.

The rain stopped at 8am, when the competitors entered the Seine under the eyes of the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, of the Organizing Committee of the Games, Tony Estanguet, and the minister of sports. , Amélie Oudéa-Castéra. , and the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo.

03:18

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The uncertainty is not clear that Cassandre Beaugrand is not too confused, even if the French woman admits to a competition before the event.

He said: “I started shouting before I started, which has never happened to me.

“I closed my teeth until the end”

Coming out of the water 27 seconds after the first, Cassandre Beaugrand completed 40 km of cycling among a group of eight riders who opened the race, before showing his running skills from the young to go to the path of satisfaction.

In a postcard setting, Beaugrand, who left to settle in England after his disappointment in Tokyo (giving up), accelerated the decision in the last round. He gradually broke away in the last two kilometers to win over the Alexandre-III bridge, six seconds ahead of the runner-up.

“I know that in the race I was the best, but (…) It was the longest 1,500 meters of my life, and I gritted my teeth until the end, but it was difficult me to know you,” said the champion at the end.

Currently third on the world circuit, Cassandre Beaugrand climbed to the top of each Olympic podium for the first time for his third participation.

Read againOlympic Games-2024: triathlete Cassandre Beaugrand ready to exorcise Tokyo

With AFP and Reuters