A shower of blue medals was expected this Friday in Beijing.
There was, finally, only one, not the most awaited, but of the most beautiful of metals.
When the French ski cross missed their big day, like four years ago in South Korea, and Quentin Fillon Maillet failed to complete his historic grand slam, the light came from the sparkling Justine Braisaz-Bouchet.
Here is everything you need to remember from this day.
The consecration for Braisaz-Bouchet
Unpredictable as always, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet took out the race of her life this Friday in Beijing, perhaps the day when we least expected her.
On the mass-start, the last race of these Games during which she had not really shone, the Frenchwoman displayed all her talent.
In ambush after the lying shots, she drew very quickly on her two standing, at 9/10, to take the lead ahead of the Norwegians Tiril Eckhoff and Marte Olsbu Roeiseland (who won her fifth medal at these Games) .
At 25, the skier from Les Saisies has become the second French biathlete to win an individual Olympic title.
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Braisaz-Bouchet wins the gold medal in the mass-start, what a race for the Frenchwoman!
Vibrate in front of the #Biathlon at #Beijing2022 on Eurosport, with #ChaletClub pic.twitter.com/UDLgqs5Llj
– Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) February 18, 2022
Fillon Maillet so close to the Grand Slam
He could have become the first athlete in history to win six medals in the same Winter Olympics.
But his last standing shot got the better of Quentin Fillon Maillet's hopes.
While he was on his way to another podium, the Frenchman committed three faults, synonymous with as many penalty laps.
A crippling clumsiness, since he finally finished in a frustrating fourth place.
The laurels went to Johannes Boe, author of exceptional Olympic Games, with four titles and a bronze medal.
Read alsoWinter Olympics 2022: "On the last shot, emotions caught up with me", Quentin Fillon Maillet remains at five medals
Disappointment for ski cross
With four engaged in a discipline that historically smiles a lot on the French, there were legitimate hopes of medals in skicross.
But the Blues missed it, on a track where overtaking was difficult and where bad starts were unforgiving.
From the eighth, Jean-Frédéric Chapuis and Terence Tchiknavorian took the door, followed by Bastien Midol in the quarters.
Last hope, François Place did not pass the milestone of the half and finished in 8th place.
Final victory for the Swiss Ryan Regez.
🇬🇧 François Place finished 4th in the ski cross small final.
He thus takes 8th place overall #AllezLesBleus #Pekin2022 pic.twitter.com/1P4KVLwgnZ
– Team France (@EquipeFRA) February 18, 2022
Eileen Gu, Queen of Games
Announced superstar of the Olympic Games, omnipresent on Chinese television commercials, the most applauded athlete of all disciplines, Eileen Gu has lived up to expectations.
At 18, she won a third Olympic medal at home on the night of Thursday to Friday, thanks to a halfpipe demonstration.
After the big air title and silver in slopestyle, she became the first woman to reach three podiums in the same Games in freestyle skiing.
Read alsoWinter Olympics 2022: “The most beautiful weeks of my life”, Eileen Gu conquered China
