It is the first French “night” medal of the Tokyo Olympics.
And those who delayed bedtime haven't regretted it.
The French duo Matthieu Androdias-Hugo Boucheron, engaged in rowing in the sculls, dominated their final Wednesday morning in Japan - at 2:35 in France - to claim Olympic gold.
Sixth in Rio, the two rowers narrowly won ahead of the Netherlands, just 20 hundredths behind them, and China.
And at the same time offered themselves the Olympic record (6′0′33) of the discipline.
🇫🇷🥇 OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS !!
The French pair Hugo Boucheron and Matthieu Androdias won gold, breaking the Olympic record!
🔝🤩 What a foot!
Third gold medal for the French delegation.
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- France tv sport (@francetvsport) July 28, 2021
Having started strong, the French made a technical error which allowed the Dutch and the Chinese to overtake them at the kilometer.
But a new effort in the 1500 and the last meters covered by throwing all the forces into the battle were enough to make the difference over their rivals.
Collapsed after the effort in his boat, Matthieu Androdias greeted the performance with a long cry that echoed in the channel of the sea forest, where the rowing events are held in Tokyo.
Third gold for France in Tokyo
World champions in 2018, European champions the same year and again in May, the two men won the supreme coronation they had come to seek in Japan after a perfectly managed competition.
After flying over their series on Friday, even briefly seizing the Olympic record for the discipline, the tricolor boat then dominated with authority its semi-final on Sunday.
Before, again, to win this Wednesday.
Matthieu Androdias and Hugo Boucheron bring France its third gold medal of these Olympics, after that of Romain Cannone in épée on Sunday and that of Clarisse Agbégnénou in judo on Tuesday.
In all, the Blues have won eight medals since their arrival on Japanese soil.