What does it mean to win gold at the Paralympics? Ask snowboard great Hernandez and her daughter

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — As the French national anthem played, the 51-year-old Para snowboard great Cécile Hernandez cried at the top of the podium. A few meters away from Hernandez, her 18-year-old daughter wept profusely.

It was the ending that Hernandez, who won her second Paralympic gold medal on Sunday, had dreamed about at the Milan Cortina Paralympics.

“It’s incredible and I still can’t realize what happened,” Hernandez said. “I’m very, very, very proud. My daughter is here, and my dream was to see some tears, but tears of joy in my daughter’s eyes and on her face. I did it, and this medal is for her.”

Victoire-Eléonore, carrying a French flag with a photo of her mom, found a spot close to the podium to watch the medal ceremony. It didn't take long after Hernandez stepped on the podium for Victoire-Eléonore to start crying.

“I am very proud of her," Victoire-Eléonore said. “It is the first time I’ve seen this, first time I’ve experienced it. It’s not her first (Paralympic) Games, it is not the first time I was supposed to go. I was supposed to go to the previous Games, and I couldn’t. It is something really intense for me, very moving.”

When the national anthem ended, Hernandez turned to her daughter, kissed the medal and then repeatedly pointed to her.

Victoire-Eléonore cried even more profusely.

Hernandez kept waving and pointing to her daughter as she exited the stage after the victory ceremony.

“I tried to have a big smile on the podium, but finally there were just tears, but tears of joy, tears of work and tears of sacrifice too,” Hernandez said. “But finally tears of happiness.”

Hernandez was participating in her fourth Winter Paralympic Games. She won her first gold — also in snowboard cross — four years ago in Beijing. In Pyeongchang 2018, she won a silver and a bronze medal. Her first Paralympic Games appearance was in 2014, when she won a silver in alpine skiing in Sochi.

“For me, the secret is to be a bit separated and focused. Think about the victories, think about all the movements, the line, the jump, and think about my daughter, finally,” she said.

Hernandez, whose disability stems from multiple sclerosis, was chosen as France's official flag bearer in the Paralympic opening ceremony.

AP Winter Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games

Cecile Hernandez, of France, competes in a women's snowboard cross SB-LL2 semifinal at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Cecile Hernandez, of France,competes in a women's snowboard cross SB-LL2 semifinal at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka

Cecile Hernandez, of France, reacts after winning the gold medal in the women's snowboard cross SB-LL2 at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Cecile Hernandez, of France, reacts after winning the gold medal in the women's snowboard cross SB-LL2 at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Cecile Hernandez, of France, stands on the podium after winning the gold medal in the women's snowboard cross SB-LL2 at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka

NEW YORK (AP) — Matvei Michkov had a goal and two assists and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the New York Islanders 4-1 on Friday night to move within one point of the Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

Travis Sanheim and Alex Bump had a goal and an assist each and Owen Tippett also scored for Philadelphia. Dan Vladar finished with 20 saves. The Columbus Blue Jackets are also tied with the Flyers with 88 points.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for New York and Ilya Sorokin made 17 saves in his 10th straight appearance, but the Islanders lost their third straight in a tightly contested Eastern Conference playoff race.

Michkov fired a shot from behind the goal line off Sorokin’s pad early in the second period to give the Flyers a 3-0 lead.

Tippett opened the scoring, completing a forehand-backhand move off a pass from Sanheim with less than seven minutes remaining in the first period.

Bump extended the Flyers’ lead to two goals when he caught Sorokin out of position and sent a wrist shot just inside the post.

Pageau scored off a feed from Mathew Barzal with less than five minutes remaining in the second period to pull New York within 3-1.

Sanheim scored midway through the third period to restore Philadelphia’s three-goal lead and put the game out of reach.

Simon Holmstrom returned to the Islanders’ lineup after missing the previous game against the Buffalo Sabres with an upper-body injury. Anthony Duclair was a healthy scratch.

Flyers: Host the Boston Bruins on Sunday.

Islanders: Visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

This story has been changed throughout to correct final score to 4-1.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Philadelphia Flyers' Tyson Foerster (71) deke pastNew York Islanders' Adam Pelech (3) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, April 3, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Philadelphia Flyers' Sean Couturier (14) defends New York Islanders' Mathew Barzal (13) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, April 3, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Islanders' Jean-Gabriel Pageau, left, celebrates after scoring a goal as Philadelphia Flyers' Noah Juulsen (47) reacts during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, April 3, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (80) protects the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Friday, April 3, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Philadelphia Flyers' Matvei Michkov (39) skates past New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, April 3, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)