Valentin Foubert’s early flight: 5th and so close to a small‑hill Olympic medal

Valentin Foubert came agonisingly close to pulling off an upset on the small hill on Monday evening in Predazzo. The 23‑year‑old Olympic newcomer looked set to give France a third medal at these Games after an extraordinary competition won by Germany’s Philipp Raimund, but he ultimately slipped back to fifth place.

Under the lights of the magnificent Predazzo ski‑jumping venue, with relatively few French supporters among large crowds of Germans, Poles and Italians, the usually reserved Foubert felt at home. He produced an opening jump of rare elegance that put him provisionally second and had many believing he could reach the podium.

“Up in the air, he was a machine tonight,” praised his coach Nicolas Dessum. Foubert raised his arms and clenched his fists after that first attempt — a rare display of emotion from a jumper who is normally hard on himself. “I was happy, everything was going well,” he said straight after his first jump, before admitting that his second jump was more difficult.

Starting unusually in the penultimate position for the final round, Foubert had to confront an unfamiliar situation and manage long waits between jump and jump. He took comfort in chatting with fellow finalists to pass the time. “I’m not used to this. Luckily I know Philipp Raimund and Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal (10th). The stress was huge at first, but it only decreased,” he explained.

A mistake at the table cost him dearly. “He let go a little at the table, but given that start he could have missed much more. He didn’t give up and was very strong in the air — that’s really good,” Dessum put it positively, even as Foubert fell to a cruel fifth place after a second round that crowned Raimund, with Poland’s Kacper Tomasiak second and a shared third between Ren Nikaido and Gregor Deschwanden.

A milestone for French men’s jumping

Presented as part of the generation being prepared for the 2030 Alpine Games in France, Foubert arguably took a four‑year leap forward by showing he already belongs on the world stage. His training session the day before hinted at promise — a top‑10 looked possible — but he blew past expectations to record what team officials described as the best performance ever by a French man in Olympic ski jumping.

“I have a lot of respect for what he did, it was truly a high‑level contest. There are only great names behind him,” said Étienne Gouy, director of the French ski‑jumping and Nordic combined teams. Fabrice Guy, the 1992 Olympic Nordic combined champion, was visibly moved after Foubert’s effort: “He’s going to make kids dream!”

Not devastated after the competition, Foubert admitted his frustration at missing a major feat by such a small margin. “I have a bit of that rage where you tell yourself: OK, it’s not the end of the world. But I’m still happy. I’m on target and I’ll put everything into the large hill on Saturday,” he said — and everyone is already looking forward to that next chance.

For full results and schedule, see the small‑hill men’s competition page for Predazzo at the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Olympic programme.