IN PICTURES - Olympic Games, World Cup ... Ten highlights of French sport in 2022

Gauthier Delomez 8:00 p.m., December 29, 2022

A new year rich in sporting emotions is coming to an end.

Before looking ahead to the events to come in 2023, Europe 1 offers a chronological retrospective of the most beautiful moments in French sport in 2022. From Quentin Fillon-Maillet's gold medal raid to the Beijing Winter Olympics, passing by the Grand Slam of the XV of France at the VI Nations Tournament, and the World Cup final in Qatar lost by the Blues on penalties... Here are ten moments that will mark the history of French sport.

1. Quentin Fillon-Maillet, double Olympic biathlon champion

Two gold medals and three silver medals at the Beijing Winter Olympics in February 2022... There is no doubt that French biathlete Quentin Fillon Maillet is the worthy successor to legend Martin Fourcade.

With his two individual titles, in the 12.5 km pursuit and 20 km event, the 30-year-old from the Jura since August has made the

reason on the Olympic podium.

He also collected a charm in the 10 km, and allowed the mixed and men's relays to finish in second place.

The French hero of the Olympics triumphantly welcomed home, in the Jura.

Quentin Fillon Maillet savors his individual gold medal in biathlon at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

2. Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron, an Olympic golden couple

First French crowned in figure skating at the Olympic Games since 2002, Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron have written a new page in the history of French sport, and splashed the dance floor of Beijing with all their talent.

The couple made the hearts of the judges waver, who awarded them a total of 226.98 points, a new world record for the discipline.

The two champions had granted an interview to Europe 1 on their return to France.

The couple Gabriella Papadakis-Guillaume Cizeron won the gold medal in figure skating in Beijing.

3. The XV of France, a first Grand Slam since 2010

A first flawless course since 2010 in the Six Nations Tournament.

In March 2022, the XV of France led by coach Fabien Galthié won the competition after 12 years of scarcity, and the last Grand Slam achieved in 2010. Convincing victories against the best European teams, including a last match of fire against the England at the Stade de France (25-13), which allowed Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack and their partners to lift the coveted trophy.

Promising one year from the Rugby World Cup in France.

The XV of France won the Six Nations Tournament without conceding any defeats.

4. Kevin Mayer, World Decathlon Champion

His tears on the podium marked the world championship in athletics in Eugene, USA.

Frenchman Kevin Mayer won the decathlon gold medal in July 2022, almost a year after his second place finish at the Tokyo Olympics.

The Montpellier player came to mitigate the meager results of the tricolor delegation, which only collected this one charm in total during these championships.

Kevin Mayer in tears after winning the decathlon gold medal at the world championships.

5. The epic of the French women's team at the Euro football

They did not go far from a first European final.

Corinne Deacon's Les Bleues wore the colors of France at the Women's Football Euro in England last July, reaching the last four.

After notably a prestigious victory against the Netherlands (1-0 after), defending champions, Wendie Renard's teammates had to lose to Germany in the semi-finals (2-1).

A journey that has everything of a climb to the heights of world women's football.

Les Bleues have reached the semi-finals of the Women's Euro.

6. The Blues of basketball fail in the final of the Euro after a miraculous course

A winding, laborious journey even for French basketball players, Olympic vice-champions in 2021, who nevertheless showed all their mental resources on the floors of Euro 2022 basketball.

Coming out third in their group A, the Blues each time came back to score, against Turkey first (87-86 ap), then Italy (93-85 ap), to snatch the victory in overtime.

After an easy semi-final against Poland, Vincent Collet's men did not experience a third miracle in the final, against Spain (88-76), to finally become European vice-champions in September 2022.

The French men's basketball team lost in the Euro final against Spain.

7. Karim Benzema named Ballon d'Or and successor to Zinedine Zidane

After a thunderous 2021-2022 season with Real Madrid, Karim Benzema won the Ballon d'Or at the end of October, the most prestigious of individual awards in football.

The Lyonnais thus succeeds Zinédine Zidane, the last French winner in 1998, and at the same time becomes the fourth tricolor to receive this trophy after Raymond Kopa (1958), Michel Platini (1983-1985) and Jean-Pierre Papin (1991) .

A status of best player in the world which Karim Benzema could not enjoy at the World Cup in Qatar, victim of an injury in training.

Karim Benzema lifts the Ballon d'Or, the most prestigious individual award in football.

8. Les Bleues du rugby third in the Women's World Cup, after a hung semi-final

A conclusion reminiscent of the final of the 2011 Men's Rugby World Cup, between New Zealand and France (8-7).

In early November, the French women's team reached the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup, also played in New Zealand, to challenge the All Blacks.

In the lead at the break, the teammates of captain Gaëlle Hermet were joined to be cruelly beaten by one point by the New Zealanders (25-24).

Les Bleues console themselves with the bronze medal, won against Canada (36-0).

The French women's rugby union team took third place in the World Cup, after coming very close to the final.

9. Caroline Garcia titled at the end of the year WTA Masters

The 2022 season marks the return to the fore of the French Caroline Garcia.

Returning to fourth place in the world, as in 2018, the Lyonnaise first distinguished herself by winning the Cincinnati Masters in August, and especially the end-of-year WTA Masters in Fort Worth, Texas, a tournament which brings together the eight best players of the year.

Caroline Garcia answered Jacques Vendroux's questions after winning the biggest title of her career.

Caroline Garcia ends her great 2022 season with her biggest title, the WTA Masters.

10. The Blues beaten in the World Cup final after a legendary game

The last great sporting emotion of the year 2022. And what emotion!

Arrived for a second time in a row in the final of the Football World Cup, the most prestigious tournament on the planet, the Blues of Didier Deschamps seemed to be at the bottom of the abyss against Argentina, before the awakening of the Kylian Mbappé phenomenon.

Simply beaten on penalties (3-3 after, 4-2 on pens), the French team thrilled millions of supporters in a final that remains one of the most exciting in the history of the competition.

Kylian Mbappé and the Blues came from afar in the World Cup final against Argentina, but lost on penalties.

Other French athletes experienced great emotions in 2022, such as the young swimmer Léon Marchand, world champion in the 400m medley in June, the French hat-trick and the victory of Léo Bergère at the Euro triathlon or even Pauline Ferrand-Prévot's fourth world title last August.

Top-flight performances just waiting to be repeated at the 2024 Paris Olympics.