For her first Olympic Games, she clinched a beautiful silver medal, finishing behind the Italian Michaela Moioli, the new Olympic champion, and ahead of the Czech Eva Samkova, the defending titleholder.
Julia Pereira de Sousa-Mabileau started from afar. She had to go through the second round of qualifications to secure her spot in the quarter-finals. But from the knockout races onwards, the young Frenchwoman delivered: second in her quarter-final, then third in her semi-final.
Given her young age, Julia Pereira de Sousa-Mabileau is expected to be back in four years in Beijing, perhaps to climb one step further on the Olympic podium.
