France Dominates Biathlon World Championships in Lenzerheide
The concluding Men’s Mass Start race of the Biathlon World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, on Sunday, February 23rd, proved challenging for the French team. For the first time in the competition, they failed to place an athlete on the podium. Top finisher Eric Perrot placed seventh amidst a Norwegian sweep of the top three podium spots, marking a poignant end to Johannes Boe’s World Championship career.
Hours earlier, Océane Michelon had brought France another medal, a silver in the Women’s Mass Start. However, leading team members Julia Simon, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, and Lou Jeanmonnot struggled in the race.
Despite the lackluster final day, Team France equaled its previous World Championship record of 13 medals, including six gold, set last year in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic. This performance earned France the top spot on the medal table, ahead of Norway and Sweden.
"We hoped to have great World Championships, and we did," remarked Stéphane Bouthiaux, technical director of the French Biathlon team, following the Men’s Mass Start. "Since the beginning of the season, we’ve been on the podium of almost every race," he added, highlighting the team’s consistent high performance.
The French team’s dominance overshadowed the event’s star attraction, Johannes Boe, who had announced his retirement at the end of the season. Throughout the 12 days of competition, Team France showcased a spirit of camaraderie, unity, and close collaboration with their staff. Seasoned athletes like Quentin Fillon Maillet and Julia Simon seamlessly integrated the younger generation, who also contributed to the team’s impressive medal tally. The controversy regarding the credit card fraud dispute between Simon and Braisaz-Bouchet, which had rocked the team in the summer of 2023, seemed to have been put to rest.
Arriving in Lenzerheide with confidence and ambition, the French team quickly established its presence in the Swiss Alps. The Mixed Relay kicked off the competition, with the quartet of Simon, Jeanmonnot, Perrot, and Emilien Jacquelin dominating the race, despite a fall and a penalty loop. Their victory, with a lead of over a minute, marked the beginning of their medal streak.
Justine Braisaz-Bouchet claimed France’s first individual victory in the Sprint, triumphing in challenging weather conditions with her exceptional skiing speed. Julia Simon surprised herself and her competitors in the Individual, an event she had previously struggled in, by securing a comfortable win. This performance proved to be a turning point for Simon, who went on to earn more gold medals at the World Championships. She and Fillon Maillet teamed up for a third gold in the Mixed Relay two days later.
"I had a great start, and Quentin finished the race magnificently," said Simon. "Lou Jeanmonnot had performed so well last year with Quentin. I wanted to demonstrate that I deserved my spot. I’m delighted I managed to hold my own."
Simon demonstrated her ability to "hold her own" once more in the Women’s Relay on Saturday, February 22nd, alongside Jeanmonnot, Michelon, and Braisaz-Bouchet. The French women dominated the race from start to finish, leaving no doubt about their victory.
Eric Perrot was the sole male athlete to claim individual gold for France, in the Individual event. The 23-year-old engaged in a close battle with Tommaso Giacomel until the final shooting round, when an error by the Italian secured Perrot’s first World Championship gold medal.
Numerous bronze medals contributed to France’s historic performance. Quentin Fillon Maillet, consistently solid throughout the tournament but without a dominant showing, finished third in the Individual and Sprint, while Lou Jeanmonnot achieved the same result in the Women’s Individual. Perrot and Braisaz-Bouchet added to their medal count with bronze in the Pursuit.
The question remains whether Team France’s record-breaking medal haul at these World Championships bodes well for their prospects at the Milan-Cortina 2023 Winter Olympics, which are scheduled to take place in less than a year.
