Title holder, the French men’s relay, made up of Éric Perrot, Fabien Claude, Émilien Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet, won the bronze medal at the world championships this Saturday in Nove Mesto. Sweden won ahead of the Norwegian favorites. A new medal for France a few hours after the coronation in the women’s relay.
France, defending champion, won the bronze medal in the men’s relay, won by Sweden ahead of favorites Norway on Saturday in Nove Mesto. Norway held their gold medal until the last shot, completely missed by Christiansen, and had to settle for silver, narrowly beating the French Éric Perrot, Fabien Claude, Émilien Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet.
A tenth medal in these worlds for France
The Blues had a very difficult start to the race, going to the penalty ring three times during the first two stints of Éric Perrot and Fabien Claude. But Émilien Jacquelin, then Quentin Fillon-Maillet, revived the French hopes at the cost of a very good comeback, placing France in second place after the last shot standing. The last Norwegian runner Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen missed his last shot, and let the gold slip away by inflicting three penalty laps on himself.
But the bronze medalist in the sprint and the pursuit caught up on the skis to take over “QFM” and collect the silver at the end of a long sprint. Announced as the big favorites with three titles in the individual events, including two hat-tricks, the Norwegians missed the opportunity to offer a 20th world title to Johannes Boe, which would have allowed him to equal the record of his glorious compatriot Ole Einar Bjoerndalen . The French pocketed a 10th medal (5 gold), a few hours after the women’s coronation during the women’s relay.