Biathlon: Camille Bened third overall in the World Cup
On Sunday, only one French biathlete rose to the occasion in the World Cup pursuit in Östersund (Sweden): Camille Bened. The member of Chablais Nordic scored 20/20 against the targets to climb four places and cross the finish line in fourth place.
Although she didn’t finish on the podium like she did last Tuesday in the individual race, the Haut-Savoyard rider continued to put in some excellent performances. In fact, she will be leaving Sweden in third place overall.
“If they’d told me before I came here that I was going to do a top 15, a flower ceremony, an individual podium and a relay with a podium, I’d have signed up with both hands and both feet. I wasn’t really expecting it,” she told La Chaîne L’Equipe in the mixed zone.
Happy with the work she has done, Camille Bened has her own way of summing up her week: “I’ve worked my ass off to get this far and now that I’m here, I’m happy to be here. It has to be said, as we’ve written many times, that the Chablais native has had a tough time of it with various injuries.
“I’m enjoying it, but I’m still wary of what might happen”.
To match her fine performances in Sweden, the Frenchwoman relied on an (almost) unbeatable performance: 19/20 in the individual, 10/10 in the sprint, 20/20 in the pursuit.
“This quality of shot is something I’ve had for a long time, but I’ve lost it at times. We really focused on that this year to try and rediscover that great quality of shot and build on that strong point,” she explains. This week, we can see that it’s enabling me to do some really good races. The day the skiing goes well, I’ll be able to do some very, very good races. I can’t wait to get on with it!
It has to be said that the races in Östersund have given Camille Bened confidence, but she is not getting carried away.
It makes me want more and I realise that there are no limits,” she confirms. I think I can still achieve great things. For the moment, I’m blossoming, but beware of overconfidence, because we know that in biathlon you can be doing really well one day and then be at rock bottom the next with your shooting. For the moment, I’m enjoying myself, but I’m still wary of what might happen.
- The full programme for the Östersund World Cup, the first stage of the 2025/2026 season
- Caroline Colombo: my best memory of… Österusnd
- “When it performs, it creates momentum”: the relays on the opening weekend of the World Cup in Östersund, important events to get the French team on the right track
- Östersund: Jeanne Richard, Océane Michelon, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Lou Jeanmonnot dominate the women’s relay, the first race of the winter season
- “It’s a great team effort”: on their first outing of the winter in Östersund, Les Bleues have already won the World Cup
- Östersund: France’s Fabien Claude, Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Emilien Jacquelin and Eric Perrot second in the relay won by Norway
- “A good relay in tempo”: behind the Norwegians in the Östersund relay, the French get their winter off to a good start
- “There’s this desire to go for the greatest medal of all”: beaten by Norway in the first relay of the season, Les Bleus have their sights set on Olympic gold
- Östersund: Sweden win the mixed singles relay ahead of Norway, Fabien Claude and Camille Bened third for France
- “It’s important in a career”: Camille Bened takes her first World Cup relay podium finish in the mixed singles relay in Östersund
- “It’s wonderful to see her so happy and fulfilled”: former biathlete Chloé Bened reacts emotionally to her older sister Camille Bened’s first World Cup podium finish.
- Östersund: Emilien Jacquelin, Eric Perrot, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Lou Jeanmonnot win the mixed relay for France
- Östersund World Cup: Corinne Niogret’s debrief (relays)
- Östersund: Dorothea Wierer triumphs in the individual event ahead of Sonja Leinamo and Camille Bened, who takes her first solo podium finish
- “It’s the fruit of a lot of hard work”: an emotional Camille Bened talks about her third place in the Östersund individual event
- Camille Bened as told by her first coach Martin Bouchet after her podium finish in Östersund: “She was already a great fighter who never gave up”.
- Östersund: Johan-Olav Botn takes his first World Cup win by winning the individual, Eric Perrot best Frenchman
- “I’m in seventh heaven”: Johan-Olav Botn, who was ill at the start of the week, ran the perfect race in Östersund.
- “We’re where we should be”: a tricky first individual race for the French team, far from the podium in Östersund
- Östersund: Océane Michelon third in the sprint, victory for Finland’s Suvi Minkkinen ahead of Anna Magnusson
- Östersund: winner of the sprint, Suvi Minkkinen takes the yellow bib as World Cup leader
- Suvi Minkkinen, winner of her first World Cup victory in the Östersund sprint: “It’s incredible”.
- “It’s a great day for me”: 993 days later, Anna Magnusson is back on a World Cup podium in Östersund.
- The pride of Océane Michelon, scorer of her first World Cup 10/10 to finish on the podium in the Östersund sprint: “I went all the way”.
- Östersund: first podium of the winter for Quentin Fillon-Maillet, third in the sprint dominated by Johan-Olav Botn
- “It’s a podium that means a lot to me”: Quentin Fillon-Maillet talks after his third place in the Östersund sprint
- “He did exactly what needed to be done”: the secrets behind Quentin Fillon-Maillet’s new recumbent shot, third in the Östersund sprint.
- Östersund: Austria’s Lisa Theresa Hauser wins the pursuit ahead of Suvi Minkkinen, Camille Bened fourth with 20/20
- Östersund: Suvi Minkkinen keeps his yellow number and will wear it at Hochfilzen, Camille Bened third overall
