Biathlon: Chloé Remy tells her Paula Botet story
On the social networks of Paula Botet, who won the World Cup for the first time on Thursday, it is not unusual to see the Bresse native training with Chloé Remy. A former biathlete, the latter is a close friend… and former team-mate.
“We did all the years at the La Bresse club together when we were at secondary school, then we joined the centre the same year, started biathlon together and also shared training courses with the committee, she reveals. We also competed in the World Championships – young ones for her, juniors for me – in Brezno-Osrblie, the European Junior Championships in Sjusjøen and a Junior Cup in Pokljuka together.”
For Nordic Magazine, Chloé Remy talks about her experience of Paula Botet’s victory in the World Cup sprint in Oberhof (Germany). She also talks about her Paula Botet.
A victory learned… at work
“Thursday afternoon, I was at work so I couldn’t watch the race live. But I didn’t want to be cheated out of watching the sprint on replay! When I got to work, I said after Amandine [Mengin] won the IBU Cup that all we needed was a podium from Paula [Botet] to make it a good day.”
“I knew that her start was at 2:38pm. So when I saw 2.44pm on my watch, I checked my phone and saw that she was in the lead after setting off. Then I checked again a little later and she was still in the lead, which was a bit crazy! I was getting a lot of messages from people saying: ‘You must be crying in front of your TV’. But no, I was at work! Anyway, so I was on my own, but I watched the replay anyway, especially the interviews, and it was really moving.”
“I don’t have any precise memories of a potential World Cup win for us in the future when I was still an athlete alongside him. First of all, because we weren’t necessarily at the top of the rankings at the start and it seemed a long way off! We just took it one race at a time to enjoy ourselves and see where it took us. In any case, that’s how I experienced it! I’d known she had the potential to do it for a while and we’d discussed it, but often implicitly.”
“I’m so proud of her and I hope she’s the first, but not the last. My girl is shining!!!”
“For me, Paula [Botet] has always had the body of a sick woman, but sometimes shooting was a bit of a holiday when we were little (now she impresses me with her stability and determination behind the rifle!) It reminds me in particular of our U19 years, when we were always in the top 5 at the end, it was a disaster and we always found ourselves on the penalty rings together during the chases.”
“In her second year as a U19, Paula [Botet] became too strong, she went to the Junior Cup, she made podiums and it was too inspiring. It was a big party when we found out we were going to the U19 World Championships for her and the U22 World Championships for me, then the European Junior Championships together. It’s a really great memory!”
“I think she really progressed steadily until her injury two years ago. There were ups and downs, of course, but it always got better and better. Last year couldn’t have been easy for her, that’s for sure. She knew she had the potential and the level of the other girls, but that she couldn’t express herself 100%. It was certainly very frustrating, but I was really impressed by the step back she managed to take to look after herself and come back better. Her victory is proof that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. It’s a fine example. I’m so proud of her and I hope it’s the first, but not the last. My girl is shining!”
- Oberhof: Paula Botet, with 10/10, dominates the sprint and wins her first World Cup title
- “I realise it, but I think it’s crazy”: Paula Botet recounts her improbable victory in the Oberhof World Cup sprint
- “With the difficulties she’s faced over the last two seasons, this is exceptional”: Cyril Burdet touched by Paula Botet’s performance at Oberhof
- Oberhof: the photo album of Paula Botet’s first World Cup victory
- The full programme for the Oberhof World Cup, the fourth stage of the 2024/2025 season
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Oberhof
- Paula Botet to replace Sophie Chauveau: the French selection for the Oberhof World Cup
- “She completely deserves to go up”: why the team staff decided to replace Sophie Chauveau with Paula Botet for the Oberhof World Cup
- “I can’t ski with the athletes”: Simon Fourcade, coach of the French men’s team, ruptures the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee
