The tricolor harvest continues in biathlon. After the mixed relay on Saturday, Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet added another silver medal to her Olympic record on Monday, February 7. In the running for gold, the Iséroise fished in the last shot, leaving the field open to the German Denise Herrmann, faster on skis and crowned Olympic champion. The Norwegian Marte Olsbu Roeiseland, leader of the general classification of the World Cup, completes the podium. After Johan Clarey’s silver medal earlier on Monday in the downhill, France collected its third charm during these Winter Olympics.
Only gold can resist it. Two races, two silver medals, Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet has been on cloud nine since her arrival in China. After the mixed relay on Saturday at the opening of the biathlon, the happiness was already immense but the impression mixed. Lots of faults and a penalty lap which almost weighed down the French team. Alone, she rectified the situation and in what way. Out of 89 competitors, she came out with the best rifle time in hand. Without a fault on the second standing pass, the last of this individual, the French offered the title. “I don’t have much to regret“, she confided. “I have a ball that escapes me, I blame myself a little but I was very concentrated. As of this morning, I had the flow. Nothing much could happen to me. It paid off, it’s great. I did the biathlon that I love today.“
“Pallet moved, no luck“, regretted the shooting coach of French biathletes, Jean-Paul Giachino, after the last passage of Chevalier-Bouchet.
Without this cord, she would have become the second tricolor biathlete to adorn herself with gold in a solo race, after Florence Baverel in the sprint of the Turin Games in 2006. What does it matter for the Iséroise who writes her most beautiful pages after having given birth to a daughter in October 2019.”I am proud to be one of the athletes who manage to reconcile motherhood and the life of a high-level athlete.“, she explained when she returned to competition in 2020. “We are not many and I admire those who do. Being considered a mom is fine with me.“
Very present on the relay, the wind had chosen to be more discreet. A fair match between all the tenors of biathlon presented itself with a big sign on the back for the leader of the World Cup Marte Olsbu Roeiseland. The Norwegian had chosen to start first, just to get everyone to agree. With two faults including one on her last target, she left the door open to other gold diggers. A mano to mano from a distance then ensued between Herrmann, Chevalier-Bouchet, Alimbekava and Davidova. At 19/20 each, the title would be played on skis. And when it comes to warming up spatulas on slow snow, you can trust former cross-country skier Denise Herrmann.
Medalists in the 4x5km relay in cross-country skiing at the 2014 Olympic Games, the German offered herself an Olympic consecration at the age of 33 and relegated Chevalier-Bouchet to 9”4 and Roeiseland to 15”3. Julia Simon can she harbor regrets. Very prominent in the mixed relay, the Frenchwoman was in the lead halfway through. Four fouls later, including three on the last standing shot, cost him the podium, or even more. She finished 21st ahead of the Norwegian Tiril Eckhoff, who missed out on her race. In the hard from her first shot (two faults), Anaïs Bescond finished in 30th position, far from her initial ambitions.