Sochi 2014: Liberte, egalite, party! French set Winter Games medal record

France’s Sochi 2014 team is the most successful in the nation’s history after last year’s ski cross world champion Jean Frederic Chapuis led Arnaud Bovolenta and Jonathan Midol to their first Winter Olympics 1-2-3.

France rocketed up to 14 medals with the haul, three more than their previous best of 11 which they achieved at Salt Lake City 2002 and Vancouver 2010.

The feat also set a record of six sweeps in a single Games, beating the five in Innsbruck 1964, while Chapuis’ win means France have also equalled their record for most gold medals (four) at a Winter Olympics, set at Grenoble 1968 and Salt Lake City 2002.

The athletes’ achievement prompted a suitably ecstatic reaction back home, summed up by one French journalist’s tweet.

ENORME!!!!!!!!!!!!! The French sweep the #skicross podium! #Sochi2014

— Nathalie Duchêne (@ndmarciano) February 20, 2014

France Olympique tweeted they just experienced a great moment in the history of French sport and L’Equipe called it incredible.

The ski cross athletes’ success follows Steve Missillier’s silver and Alexis Pinturault’s bronze in the alpine skiing giant slalom, Martin Fourcade’s two golds and one silver and Jean-Guillaume Beatrix’s bronze in the biathlon and Pierre Vaultier’s gold and Chloe Trespeuch’s bronze in the snowboard cross.

Also on the podium for France have been Coline Mattel (bronze) in ski jumping, Kevin Rolland’s bronze in ski halfpipe and bronze in the men’s cross-country skiing relay.

Further medals beckon for France with World Cup leader Sylvain Dufour going for gold in the men’s snowboard parallel slalom and Ophelie David a strong hope for a medal in the women’s ski cross.

Samsung are a proud partner of Team GB and are supporting the Samsung Galaxy Team. To meet the team, see exclusive content and win amazing prizes, including once-in-a-lifetime winter sport training sessions with the Samsung Galaxy Team athletes, visit: www.samsung.com/uk/sochi2014