“Proud to have been able to take Monaco to such a level”
Rudy Rinaldi and Boris Vain went on their remarkable 6th place in the 2-man bobsleigh. A lot of emotions, joy, great relief and the duty of the work accomplished for the Monegasques.
After their 6th place in the 2-man bobsleigh, a performance that will go down in the history of Monegasque sport, Rudy Rinaldi and Boris Vain nominated themselves to Stéphan Maggi of the Monegasque Olympic Committee.
READ ALSO: Monaco signs its historic result at the Olympic Games
Do you realize you’re done at 6th site of the Olympic Games?
Rudy Rinaldi: It’s extraordinary. It was really a great course. Thank you to our Federation and the Monegasque Olympic Committee who supported us.
Boris Vain: It’s quite incredible. I don’t quite realize yet. The pressure is coming down a bit. We will realize this when we return to Monaco.
We have shown that we can compete with big nations.
Can you imagine achieving such a performance?
RR : Two years ago no, this year yes. It was our goal to get our best result on this course. In the end, on did. We knew it was going to be very hard with a very high level. We believed in it a little deep down inside.
BV: Monaco is not a country of winter sports, even if there is a great Olympic history written by Prince Albert II in bobsleigh. We are fighting against the Germans, the Austrians, the Swiss, the Russians, strong nations accustomed to winter disciplines. We, besides that, we have to be realistic, we are nothing. With this result, we showed that we could compete with these big nations, it’s just fabulous.
How do you feel after these two days of competition?
RR: A relief and a happiness to have done the work and a pride to have been able to take Monaco into an Olympic battle. It was very exciting for us.
BV: A lot of joy and a huge relaxation too. 16 and 18 months ago, we were both on an operating bed. We didn’t know how to comment on was going to get out of there. All those days of training, stress, doubts, those sessions of physiotherapy, osteopathy… No one can imagine all that we endured and did to come back. When you invest so much in a part of your life to achieve sporting goals and it pays off, it’s an unimaginable feeling. We didn’t fight for nothing, we didn’t grit our teeth for nothing. On arrival, it’s fantastic!
We were fighting against a German armada with incomparable means
You failed a few tenths off the podium…
RR: After the 3th round we still believed a little, especially after 4th time that we had signed. After the 4th round, we saw that there was no chance. In the end, there are no regrets.
BV: We knew that we were fighting against a German armada with incomparable means compared to us. It’s a steamroller. The Germans won the first three places, it’s historic.
All of Monaco pushed you, everyone believed in it?
RR: I was very pleasantly surprised to see all these people behind us, it did us a world of good. I apologize because at the end of the last round I would have liked to show a smile and say hello to everyone in Monaco.
BV: We did not expect that. We were able to realize how important it is to be supported by our country. We received many messages on social networks, local newspapers followed us… It’s really very touching and it gave us a lot of energy.
After the disappointment of 2018, your progress is enormous…
RR: It is the continuity of what we suppose had to do earlier, our injuries did not allow it.
After 2018 and 2022, never two without three, in 2026 to aim even higher?
RR: In my head, I came here as if it was my last race because my body, unfortunately, tells me to stop day by day. No one can understand the pain I have every day and the work it takes to stay at this level. For now, I need to take a break. I’ll see later. Whether I continue or not, I will have given everything.
BV: Since PyeongChang (2018), my project is to become a pilot. I know it won’t be easy. We’ll see. I’m happy to have written this beautiful page with Rudy during these Beijing Games.
What did you miss to try to win an Olympic medal?
RR: Regular good physical health, running sequences to always progress and fight, and also the share of equipment.
BV: The thrust failed us. We worked a lot on it and we also signed the 4and better times. In terms of the preparation of equipment, we are light years away from the Germans. The Institute for Research and Development of Sports Technologies (FES) is a Berlin institution that has been developing sports programs for more than thirty years that enable advances in cutting-edge technologies. It is subsidized by the state, with hundreds of engineers dedicated to bobsleigh, alpine and cross-country skiing, racing biking, kayaking… When we develop things, Bruno Mingeon is our coach, who makes crazy job, who’s in his garage, with a wrench, while the Germans are on computers setting up airfoils.