Biathlon: a bronze medal in the relay, but disappointment for Les Bleus in the individual event
Last Sunday, French biathletes Théo Guiraud-Poillot, Gaëtan Paturel, Oscar Lombardot and Rémi Broutier won the bronze medal in the relay event at the European Championships in Ridnaun-Val Ridanna (Italy). A fine reward for a quartet disappointed by their individual performances.
For Nordic Magazine, the continental bronze medallists in the relay look back on their race and take stock of their European championships.
Théo Guiraud-Poillot: “It’s great to win this medal”
“I’m quite happy with my race, it was enjoyable. Physically, it was one of the races in which I felt the best all week, even though I was quite tired from the sequence of events. I had to pick up one run in the downhill and one in the standing, and that enabled me to stay in contact with the leaders for most of the relay, particularly with the Norwegian [Vetle Sjaastad] Christiansen.”
“It’s great to win this medal and finish these championships on a high note. The start had been a bit more mixed with an individual where I missed out on the shot. I got back on track in the sprint with a 10/10, which I’m delighted about. I’m not yet in the form I’d hoped for in skiing, but I’m happy to take this eighth place.”
Gaëtan Paturel: “A very mixed week for me”
“This relay was a complicated race for me in terms of my shooting. I was the first in the relay to do a lap. With a total of five picks and a penalty lap, that’s far too many. I’ve started to pay for all the effort I’ve put in over the week. Personally, I’m a bit disgusted (sic) with my race. I would have liked to do better and help the guys stay in touch with the Norwegians and secure a silver medal. After that, I’m very happy because it’s great to win a medal at the European Championships, especially as part of a team.”
“Overall, it was a very mixed week for me with a lot of disappointments. I was feeling very good physically, I had some very good ski times and that left me hoping for better than what I was able to do. I always shoot myself in the foot by making too many mistakes on the mats, which means I can’t go for the medals at these European Championships.”
Oscar Lombardot: “There’s not enough behind this rifle!”
“It was a pretty good race. I had the rods on the skis, which was great! There was something missing in the shooting… So I’m not entirely satisfied with my race because I didn’t do it in the right way. But it’s still a nice medal for all my mates. It’s great and a pleasure for the group!”
“I’m not entirely satisfied with the week of the European Championships either. I could have done a lot better. I’m not very far from doing some very good things, but there’s not enough behind this rifle! The idea is to bounce back this week [at the IBU Cup in Ridnaun-Val Ridanna].”
Rémi Broutier: “The week’s results show a return to fitness, but a largely inadequate shooting performance”
“For me, it wasn’t a terrible stint… A penalty ring is far too much for a stint because you’re not supposed to go round. Fortunately, I still managed to secure third place, especially as my colleagues had got the race off to a good start. I’m disappointed with my performance, but it’s a satisfying result and, above all, it’s great to finish on top of it for the whole team!”
“My assessment of the European championships is rather mixed. I had a good pursuit, but you can’t really see that because the sprint wasn’t great, and neither was the individual. Overall, the week’s results show that I’m back in good physical shape, but my shooting results were largely inadequate.”
- The full programme for the Martell-Val Martello European Championships, the sixth leg of the 2024/2025 IBU Cup
- IBU Cup: the French selection for the European Championships at Martell-Val Martello
- IBU Cup: the Italian selection for the European Championships at Martell-Val Martello
- IBU Cup: thirteen Austrians at the European Championships in Martell-Val Martello
- IBU Cup: Germany with a strong showing at the European Championships in Martell-Val Martello
- IBU Cup: the impressive Norwegian squad for the European Championships at Martell-Val Martello
- Martell-Val Martello: Germany’s Johanna Puff individual European champion, Amandine Mengin fourth
- Martell-Val Martello: Isak Frey takes the individual continental title, Oscar Lombardot best Frenchman
- “I decided to stay cool before every shot”: Fredrik Muehlbacher, the surprise guest on the podium of the European Championships individual event
- Martell-Val Martello: Bresse’s Amandine Mengin finishes runner-up in the European sprint behind Sweden’s Anna-Karin Heijdenberg
- Amandine Mengin tells Nordic Magazine after her European silver medal in the sprint: “I still have the same problem, I don’t realise it!
- “It’s absolutely incredible”: the joy of Anna-Karin Heijdenberg, crowned European sprint champion at Martell-Val Martello
- “This track suits me perfectly”: bronze in the sprint at the European Championships, a bright spot in the season for Latvia’s Baiba Bendika
- Martell-Val Martello: Sivert Guttorm Bakken becomes European sprint champion ahead of Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, Théo Guiraud-Poillot in the top 10
- “This victory means a lot”: European sprint champion at Martell-Val Martello, Sivert Guttorm Bakken savours his return to the summit
- Martell-Val Martello: Latvia’s Baiba Bendika crowned European pursuit champion, no medal for the French
- Martell-Val Martello European Championships: Patrick Braunhofer takes surprise gold in the pursuit, Oscar Lombardot sixth
- “I’ve finally achieved the shot I’m capable of”: how Patrick Braunhofer became the first Italian European champion by winning the pursuit at Martell-Val Martello
- “It represents the strength of a team”: the relay at the European Championships in Martell-Val Martello, a major objective for the French women’s team
- Martell-Val Martello: Camille Bened, Sophie Chauveau, Amandine Mengin and Gilonne Guigonnat runners-up in the European relay behind Germany
- European Championships in Martell-Val Martello: the Norwegians demonstrate in the relay, Théo Guiraud-Poillot, Gaëtan Paturel, Oscar Lombardot and Rémi Broutier get a tan
- “I was alone on the track”: Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, Sverre Dahlen Aspenes, Sivert Guttorm Bakken and Isak Frey describe their unchallenged reign over the relay at the European Championships in Martell-Val Martello.
