White cabbage for the four French women engaged in the sprint, all missed their race, won by the favorite Marte Olsbu Roeiseland. A bad omen for the pursuit race scheduled for Sunday, which takes these results into account.
The flawless success of the Blues in biathlon during the Beijing Games (three podiums in three races) comes to an end. With eleven podiums to four this season in the World Cup in individual races, Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Julia Simon and Anaïs Bescond all had the potential to get on the box this Friday, on the occasion of the ladies’ sprint. .
Big disappointment, since none of them managed a sufficient time to secure a medal, in this 7.5 kilometer race with only two shots (one lying down, one standing), where each fault is penalized with one turn on a 150 meter penalty ring.
The best Frenchwoman in the group, Anaïs Bescond, finished her effort in 9th position. Far, too far behind the Norwegian and ultra-favorite Marte Olsbu Roeiseland, leader of the world circuit this season who gleans her first Olympic title. Sweden’s Elvira Oeberg and Italy’s Dorothea Wierer complete the podium.
The tricolor biathlon stagnates at three medals, after Quentin Fillon Maillet’s gold in the individual and the silver medals in the mixed relay and Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet. Before a weekend that promises to be intense, with the men’s sprint on Saturday and the women’s and men’s pursuits on Sunday.
More information to come…