The French biathlon relay won silver on Tuesday at the Beijing Olympics. This is the 12th medal of the tricolor delegation and the 5th for Quentin Fillon Maillet.
The now five-time Olympic medalist in these Olympics was accompanied by Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin and Simon Desthieux to offer himself a silver charm at the end of a completely bouncy end of the race won by Norway.
Olympic vice-champions! Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin, Simon Desthieux and Quentin Fillon Maillet take second place in the relay behind Norway, QFM wins a fifth medal in these Games! #biathlon #ChaletClub #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/wUHBQqdCPO
— Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) February 15, 2022
Norwegians who could have a smile as the victory was not necessarily acquired after the first three runners. Russia was indeed up to 1’47 ahead of a trio made up of France, Germany and Norway. But the last Russian torchbearer, Eduard Latypov completely cracked on his standing shot (3 faults). Leaving Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen and Norway to clinch the precious metal. Russia takes third place.
“QFM”, a little more in history
Behind, therefore, are the Blues, who had never done better than bronze, twice (2002 and 2006), who finished second. In 2018, Martin Fourcade and his teammates finished only fifth.
“It hasn’t happened since 2006, a generation that rocked us all, savored after the Emilien Jacquelin race on France Televisions. We enter the history of French biathlon with this silver medal. It is a relay that is good despite the conditions. I am very happy for the staff and for the team.”
“I’m super proud to share that with them,” said Fillon Maillet. We are a bunch of friends and it’s great to share this together. When we say we’re friends, it’s real. I expected a lot from this race, moreover I was tense about shooting. It’s just great, it shows the good level of France in biathlon.
French biathlon now has 6 medals (4 individual for Quentin Fillon Maillet, 1 for the relay and 1 for Anaïs Bouchet-Chevalier). A record that could still be inflated in the coming days.
Quentin Fillon Maillot has also not finished his harvest. With gold in the individual and the pursuit, silver in the sprint, the mixed relay and the relay, he became the third French sportsman in history to win as many charms in the same edition, Summer Games and combined, alongside the fencer Roger Ducret in Paris in 1924 and Julien Brulé in Antwerp in 1920.
Friday (10 am French), “QFM” will be on the mass-start and will aim for the grand slam, namely to climb on all the podiums offered on the Olympic program. A six out of six that makes him dream so much. In biathlon, only Norwegian legend Ole Einar Björndalen has achieved such a feat: in 2002.