Huge performance from the French biathletes, Saturday December 4, in Östersund! Anaïs Bescond and Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet stood out in the first pursuit of the season in Sweden to grab two places on the podium, behind the untouchable Norwegian Marte Olsbu Roeiseland, too strong on the skis today.
> Relive the ladies’ pursuit in Östersund
DOUBLE PODIUM!
What a race of @BescondAnais and Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet on this first Pursuit of the winter!
The French women finish 2nd and 3rd!
Justine Braisaz-Bouchet takes 12th place.
Nordic Focus pic.twitter.com/gKJRCiftKS
– FFS – French Ski Federation (@FedFranceSki) December 4, 2021
Until the end, the two Anaïs fought. First against Elvira Oeberg, in the lead at the halfway point before seeing his hopes soar with three faults on the standing shot. Then against the Austrian Lisa Theresa Hauser, who finally finished at the foot of the podium less than a second behind Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet.
On the shooting side, the Bleues almost achieved a faultless: no error for Anaïs Bescond (20/20), who signed her first podium of the season, and a small one for her compatriot (19/20), who had signed a beautiful second place in the sprint, already in Östersund, on November 28th.
As for the other Tricolores involved, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet finished in 12th place despite the best time on skis this Saturday (26’52 ”), Julia Simon is 25th and Chloé Chevalier 33rd.
“It also rewards a team that gives it their all”
Asked at the microphone of La Chaîne L’Equipe after the race, the two French women confessed their joy. “It was a great race, I worked hard from the start and I paid the price at the end of the last lap. But I started my shots, I’m happy. a little on the skis but it will get better and better “, explained Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet.
For Anaïs Bescond, Olympic champion in the mixed relay in 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, it was time for tears of happiness. “It’s more than fun, I’m not going to say that I no longer believed in it but … It’s a thankless sport, it’s rare that there is the holy grail at the end and here I’m really happy. I had excellent skis, good legs … It also rewards a team that gives it their all. I went a bit far on the last lap, I put on the last watts. Anaïs did a great job, I saw an opening at the end of a downhill and in the end it turned out the right way for us for the podium. “
The two biathletes now have an appointment on Sunday from 10:45 am for the relay with, in the viewfinder, a new place on the box.