UGA athletes win 5 medals at the World University Winter Games!

Elite sport
On  January 25, 2023
Marie Dupayage and Thomas Nabais, world university ice dance champions© @guillaume.mirand – FFSU
Marie Dupayage and Thomas Nabais, world university ice dance champions© @guillaume.mirand – FFSU
From 12 to 22 January 2023 in Lake Placid in the United States, 11 high-level athletes from Université Grenoble Alpes represented France at the World University Winter Games. On the slopes of the largest multi-sport competition in the world after the Olympic Games, UGA athletes won 5 medals, almost a third of the French medals!
Today's champions, tomorrow's legends. "Today's Stars, Tomorrow's Leaders" is one of the mottos of the World University Games. The biggest names in French and international sports have indeed participated in this competition, which is considered a real springboard for many young athletes. Many World University Games medalists have gone on to become Olympic medalists.

Organized every two years by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), alternating with the summer games, the World University Winter Games are the second largest winter multi-sport event after the Olympic Games. From 12 to 22 January 2023, nearly 1,500 student-athletes from 595 universities or schools participated in the 30th World Winter Games in Lake Placid, USA, representing 43 countries.

Two gold, two silver and one bronze medals!

With a total of 18 medals (5 gold, 6 silver and 7 bronze), the French team simply shattered its record of medals (13) set in 2009 in China and finished 4th nation in this the 30th World University Winter Games.

UGA students have largely contributed to the success of the French team by returning from Lake Placid with no less than 5 medals: 2 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze.

Thomas Nabais et Marie Dupayage décrochent la médaille d'or en danse sur glace
Thomas Nabais and Marie Dupayage set the legendary Herb's Brooks Ice Rink on fire. The young ice dance couple won the gold medal in the discipline and the title of world university champions. Photo credit: © @guillaume.mirand - FFSU.

Emotional sequence: find the footage of the gold medal of Thomas Nabais and Marie Dupayage and their interview on the ice of the Lake Placid rink on the FISU webTV.

La médaille d'or de Simon Chappaz et de ses coéquipiers du relais 4 x 7, 5 km de ski de fond
With his teammates in the 4 x 7, 5 km cross-country relay, Simon Chappaz also won gold and a historic medal for the French university team. Photo credit: © @guillaume.mirand - FFSU

Chloé Passerat en argent et Kim Martinez en bronze en snowboardcross
In snowboardcross, Chloé Passerat and Kim Martinez achieved a double coup by winning a silver and bronze medal respectively. Photo credit: © @guillaume.mirand - FFSU

Julia Socquet-Dagoreau décroche une médaille d’argent en ski alpin
Finally, Julia Socquet-Dagoreau distinguished herself in alpine skiing with a silver medal in the combined event. Photo credit: © @guillaume.mirand - FFSU

The UGA team at the 30th World University Winter Games

Led by the French University Sports Federation (FFSU), the French delegation for these World University Winter Games was made up of 45 athletes, including 11 students from Université Grenoble Alpes, a quarter of the French delegation.

Figure skating

  • Marie Dupayage, student in Psychology (L3) - UFR SHS: gold medal in ice dancing with Thomas Nabais
  • Maïa Mazzara, student in the Mathematics and Computer Science degree program applied to Human and Social Sciences (L1) - UFR SHS: 18th in individual skating
  • Thomas Nabais, student in the Social Sciences degree program (L3): gold medal in ice dancing with Marie Dupayage

Speed skating

  • Martin Belloir, student in the STAPS hybrid training program (L2) - UFR STAPS: 24th in the mass start, 28th in the 1,000m, 35th in the 1,500m
  • Mathieu Belloir, student in the Master's program STAPS training and optimization of sports performance (M1) - UFR STAPS: 13th in the 1500 m, 15th in the mass start

Alpine skiing

  • Axelle Chevrier, tudent in Economics and Management (L1 in EAD) - Grenoble Faculty of Economics: 7th in the giant slalom, 8th in the combined
  • Téa Lamboray, student in the STAPS Hybrid LiCenSe (L3) - UFR STAPS: 4th in the super-G, 8th in the giant slalom, 10th in the slalom, 11th in the combined
  • Julia Socquet-Dagoreau, student in Hybrid LiCenSe Sports Training (L3) - UFR STAPS: Silver medal in the combined, 7th in the super-G

Cross-country skiing

  • Simon Chappaz, student in hybrid STAPS training (L1) - UFR STAPS: gold medal in the 4 x 7.5 km relay, 4th in the mass start

Snowboard

  • Kim Martinez, student in Hybrid LiCenSe STAPS sports training (L2) - UFR STAPS: bronze medal in snowboardcross
  • Chloé Passerat, student in LiCenSe hybride STAPS entraînement sportif (L1) - UFR STAPS : silver medal in snowboardcross
Published on  February 28, 2023
Updated on  February 28, 2023