in the mass start, biathlete Johannes Boe offers himself a fourth coronation, Quentin Fillon Maillet finishes fourth

Quentin Fillon Maillet had the opportunity to write a little more biathlon history. But, Friday, February 18, at the end of the mass start – mass start bringing together the 30 best biathletes of the moment – ​​of the Beijing Winter Olympics, it was the Norwegian Johannes Boe who registered his name in Zhangjiakou in the annals of biathlon.

Olympic Games 2022: At the Games, the return of the great Boe

Solo winner of the queen event of the discipline, the best biathlete of the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons won his fourth title of the fortnight, after those already gleaned in the mixed relay, sprint and relay. A feat that only his compatriot Ole Einar Bjoerndalen had achieved before. The biathlon legend then achieved a clear round in Salt Lake City (2002), four out of four – the mixed relay and the mass start were not yet on the Olympic programme.

Sweden’s Martin Ponsiluoma, second, and Norway’s Vetle Christiansen, third, complete the day’s podium. Quentin Fillon Maillet, fourth after three faults on the last shot, missed the grand slam by a dozen seconds: the Frenchman concludes this edition of the Games with five “boxes” in six races (the gold of the individual and the pursuit, silver for the sprint, the mixed relay and the relay).

“I felt a little bitter just after the finish line, I had the royal road to go for gold on the last shot. I saw Johannes miss two, my emotions caught up with me., regretted the leader of the Blues shortly after the arrival. When asked who was the “king” of these Games, the Jura player answered: “There is a match, of course Johannes has more gold medals thanks to the relay, but individually we share the crown. »

Norwegian Raid

Impressive on skis, Johannes Boe won without shaking despite two faults on his last standing shot (16/20). The strong wind that swept through the Zhangjiakou site, some 200 kilometers northwest of Beijing, disturbed all the participants. None will have succeeded without fault behind the rifle this Friday. Special mention to Ponsiluoma, who only had two laps of the penalty ring to ski.

Quentin Fillon Maillet was in a good position to win a historic sixth medal after his last standing shot. But his three missed balls allowed the return of Christiansen, who with his five blanked targets, took advantage of it. Came out twenty seconds from the Norwegian, the French (15/20), despite his efforts, will not be able to join him.

Olympic Games 2022: Quentin Fillon Maillet no longer hides

The other Tricolores involved – Simon Desthieux, Emilien Jacquelin and Fabien Claude – finished 16th respectivelyand22and and 26and. Arrived tired at these Games, Jacquelin, who expressed his great weariness of the season and of the biathlon, confided that he was going “Cycling for a week on the roads of the south of France to take a break”. “It puts an end to the ordeal of these Games, I really spent fifteen complicated days. I’m happy to be back”dropped, annoyed, the Dauphinois.

With five medals each, Johannes Boe, 28, and “QFM”, 29, experienced sensational Olympic Games. The two biathletes left only crumbs to their adversaries and left the Beijing Games having marked the history of their sport. “Quentin dominated the first week of the Games, Johannes the second; Quentin had the merit of responding to the pressure of the favorite, Johannes that of raising his level when he had been in difficulty since the start of the seasonanalyzes Martin Fourcade, the former king of the discipline. We had the most beautiful Olympic champions, sportingly it was a treat. »

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