Tokyo (AFP)
Charline Picon, Olympic champion in 2016, won the silver medal in RS: X windsurfing at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday in Enoshima, bringing France a 15th medal.
Despite her victory in the final regatta, the Charentaise was beaten in the general classification for gold by the Chinese Lu Yunxiu, the Briton Emma Wilson completing the podium.
Charline Picon thus becomes the first Frenchwoman to win two medals in sailing at the Olympic Games.
Third at the start of this "medal race" reserved for the first ten and at the end of which the points count double, Picon, who was 6 points behind the Chinese, at the top of the standings, could claim a historic double but had to outrun his two opponents.
In the lead on the last two legs, the Frenchwoman, also multiple world medalist, completed an almost perfect round in light conditions (weak wind at 6 knots) but had to bow to the Chinese she had designated as its main rival.
Still on the RS: X board, Frenchman Thomas Goyard can also win silver or bronze in a final regatta which will start at 3.33 p.m. local time (8.33 a.m. French).
The Dutchman Kiran Baldoe is already assured of the gold medal.
© 2021 AFP