Biathlon : a last-gasp podium for Jeanne Richard
At the end of the last mass-start of the biathlon world cup in Le Grand-Bornand (Haute-Savoie), Jeanne Richard was in third place. With a 20-second lead over Paulina Batovska Fialkova, her most serious rival for the podium, she gradually lost her margin: at km 11, it was 10 seconds, then 8 seconds at km 11.5.
With 1,000 metres to go, it looked like it was all over. Except that the Slovak, who had been a mother for almost a year, didn’t give up and managed to overtake the Frenchwoman in the final metres.

I gave everything I had on the track, so I can’t be disappointed with my race, even if there was a little frustration at the end,” said the biathlete from Les Gets (Haute-Savoie) in the mixed zone after the awards ceremony. I didn’t feel it coming at all. I didn’t hear the news!
Alone in the lead before the final shot
Her team-mate Julia Simon wanted to focus on the positive for her young compatriot, who came very close to achieving great success on home soil: “There are some very, very good things, and you have to take the positives from these results [two fourth places in two days, editor’s note]. We’re not surprised, she’s where she needs to be!
Cyril Burdet, the French team’s coach, explained that, in the heat of the moment, there was “inevitably some disappointment”.

“When we look back on it, [we’ll say that] it was still a great week in Grand-Bornand for her with two fourth places,” he added. Particularly as Jeanne Richard, as she did on Saturday in the pursuit, learnt a great deal, particularly as she tackled the last shot alone in the lead.
It was wonderful to be able to move up to target 1,” she enthuses. I’ve experienced some unique things today [Sunday], and I’m really aware of that. Jeanne Richard made just one mistake in this standing salvo, which took place in the wind and snow. ” I knew that, but it’s another thing to show it in practice on the course,” says Cyril Burdet.
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