Biathlon: incredible Océane Michelon, Olympic sprint runner-up behind Maren Kirkeeide and ahead of Lou Jeanmonnot, tanned
The French women’s biathlon is certainly full of resources. Three days after an individual race in which Camille Bened missed out on a hat-trick, two Frenchwomen reached the Olympic sprint podium this Saturday. Although the title eluded the French clan this time, Océane Michelon (10/10) took the silver medal, while Lou Jeanmonnot (9/10), tanned, continued her harvest.
For the 23-year-old Baujue, this sprint was a plunge into the Olympic world just ten days after her arrival in Antholz (Italy). The Bauges Ski Nordique biathlete couldn’t wait to get going and put on the race of a lifetime. With a 10/10 against the targets and in great form on her cross-country skis, Océane Michelon came out on top after standing up.
First Olympic title for Maren Kirkeeide
But Norway’s Maren Kirkeeide (10/10), who came out 9.2 seconds behind, finished the race like a bullet and went on to win her first Olympic title by a margin of 3.8 seconds over the Frenchwoman. Silver medallist Océane Michelon – in front of her family and friends – enjoyed an intense moment of happiness on Valentine’s Day.
Doubiste’s Lou Jeanmonnot made a mistake in the standing shot to take bronze , 23.7 seconds behind the queen of the day. The day’s top 6, usually honoured at the flower ceremony, was completed by Bulgaria’s Milena Todorova (9/10), Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi (10/10) and Finland’s Suvi Minkkinen (10/10), while Franziska Preuss (9/10), Kamila Zuk (9/10), Anna Andexer (10/10) and Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold (8/10) made up the top 10.
It was a difficult day for the other Frenchwomen, with Julia Simon (8/10) thirty-fourth and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet (6/10) sixty-second. The latter won’t even be at the start of Sunday’s pursuit.
Video of the race
Full results
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