the French mixed relay in bronze behind Norway and Italy

One race, one medal. Under the impetus of Julia Simon, Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet, Émilien Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet, the French team got off to a good start in the biathlon world championships on Wednesday February 8 in Oberhof. For the first event of the competition, after a fierce battle against Norway and Italy, the Blues finally finished the mixed relay in third position (+55.9), behind the Norwegians, who kept their title, and the Italians, second (+11″6).

Silver medalists with the same team at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, the four biathletes could however have dreamed of better. Put on the right track by world number one Julia Simon, the three other Frenchmen finally made too many shooting errors to hope for better (two for women, seven for men).

Julia Simon’s hot start ruined

Despite a fault on the lying shot, Julia Simon, individual favorite, offered a comfortable lead to the Blues (+ 9.7 seconds over Italy). Subsequently, Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet had the same success in shooting but less on skis. The men, meanwhile, struggled in front of the targets. Emilien Jacquelin, who was at fault twice on the prone shot then on the standing shot, thus lost the lead gleaned by his teammates by letting Quentin Fillon Maillet leave at the same time as Norway and Italy.

The qFive-time Olympic medalist in Beijing and winner of the general classification of the World Cup in 2022 also suffered against the targets (3 faults on the lying shot). His standing clear was not enough. The Habs even took the wrong course at the finish before turning back and keeping their third place.

Johannes Boe at fault but victorious

Despite this first medal in these biathlon world championships, the French team can tie regrets, especially at the sight of the unusual shooting failures of the essential Johannes Boe. The Nordic biathlete, elbow-to-elbow with Quentin Fillon Maillet for a time, committed three faults on the lying shot and one on the standing shot. A performance far from its usual standards (91% in prone shooting and 86% in standing shooting in the World Cup this season). But the Frenchman was unable to take advantage of the Norwegian’s mistakes and was even overtaken by the Italian Tommaso Giacomel. Germany, host of these world championships and favorite to win, finished this mixed relay in a disappointing sixth position (+1’26″5).