In the half-pipe, a Kevin Rolland without a podium but with happiness – Liberation

The freestyle skier, who was close to death less than three years ago, did not reach the podium in the half-pipe final. But the French flag bearer provided a good performance for his last Olympic Games.

Less than three years after coming close to death in a terrible fall, Kevin Rolland still ended his Olympic love story on a high note this Saturday at the Beijing Games with his sixth place in ski half-pipe. “I would have been told that three years ago on my hospital bed, I would have more than signedsaid the 32-year-old freestyle skier, all smiles in the finish area of ​​the Zhangjiakou snowpark.

About three years ago, in April 2019, a high jump world record attempt from a “quarter-pipe” turned tragic. Pelvic fracture, cerebral hemorrhage, lungs punctured by ribs, damaged pancreas… The doctors, when he came out of the coma, seriously doubted his ability to be able to ski again one day. So his participation in the Olympic final, after returning to the highest level at the cost of a lot of rehabilitation work and an enormous mind, was already in itself a small miracle.

“To assure”

More airy than during qualifying, the bronze medalist at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 grew in strength with each of his appearances. Small errors prevented him, with 79.25 points, from grabbing a new podium. But he didn’t bite the snow like many competitors. The new Kevin Rolland, more cautious since his accident and the birth of his two boys, took “the wise decision to insure” in view of the very windy conditions, in order not to give “fears to all (his) entourage”. “We have to draw conclusions from our experience. I didn’t want to ruin the party with a big fall.” he explained.

With 93.00 points, Nico Porteous brought New Zealand the second gold medal of these Games and its history after that of Zoi Sadowski-Synnott in women’s snowboard slopestyle. Aged 20, he beat the Americans David Wise (90.75 points), experienced double defending champion, and Alex Ferreira (86.75 points).

For Rolland, flag bearer of the French team in Beijing with skier Tessa Worley, the future will now take shape far from the competition sites, but always on skis.

“I will focus on my artistic projects (video production) rather than competitive ones”he confided. “I am a skier. For me, it’s not even a career, it’s my life.. And he knows how little she cares sometimes.