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CORTINA D’AMPEZZO – On a day that seemed to live up to the superstition of Friday the 13th, seasoned Para snowboarder Cécile Hernandez faced an unexpected series of challenges at the Milan Cortina Paralympics.
The 51-year-old athlete from France, a strong contender in the banked slalom event, found herself just shy of the podium, finishing in fourth place. For Hernandez, this result capped off a day filled with mishaps.
“It’s been a truly frustrating day from the very start,” Hernandez expressed candidly. “First, I lost my mouthguard, then spilled coffee, and to top it off, we ended up with the wrong snowboard because we forgot the right one. It was just one crazy thing after another, and I’m amazed I even managed to secure third place after the first run.”
As Hernandez made her way through the media zone, she appeared visibly upset, gesturing in disbelief about the events of her race. A supportive member of the French team offered her a comforting pat on the back.
“I’m someone who places a lot of faith in the universe and its workings,” Hernandez shared. “I tried to change the course of events, but it seems fate had other plans. After all, it is Friday the 13th.”
A couple of days ago, Hernandez was crying at the top of the podium after winning her second Paralympic gold medal and celebrating it with her 18-year-old daughter who is also in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Victoire-Eléonore wept profusely during that ceremony, and she was crying again this time.
“Emotionally, I am done. I just saw my daughter crying, that’s all I didn’t want,” Hernandez said. “I wanted to have her cry with joy and not like this. But she told me, ‘I am proud.’ I wanted to make another podium.”
Hernandez, whose disability stems from multiple sclerosis, was chosen as France’s flag bearer in the Paralympic opening ceremony. She also won gold in Para snowboard cross at the 2022 Beijing Games. In the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, she won a silver in Para snowboard banked slalom and a bronze in snowboard cross. She also won a silver in snowboard cross at the 2014 Sochi Paralympics.
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AP Winter Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games
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