Biathlon: Julia Simon on standby
On Monday afternoon, as Stéphane Bouthiaux, director of the French biathlon teams, revealed to Nordic Magazine, Julia Simon underwent a follow-up MRI scan in Joensuu (Finland). “She seems to be feeling better this morning,” he said at the time, commenting on the state of health of the winner of the crystal globe for the 2022/2023 season.
This check-up, which was then sent to France to be read by a specialist, followed the difficult end of the Beaufortaine relay on Sunday evening in Kontiolahti (Finland).
On the final ascent of the big hill on the Finnish course, she was suddenly forced to stop her effort, struck down by a sharp pain in her left calf that had appeared on her second lap of cross-country skiing.
The courageous biathlete from Les Saisies (Savoie) still managed to reach the finish line, giving her team-mates Lou Jeanmonnot, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Sophie Chauveau a podium finish.
No communication on his state of health until Wednesday, the day of the individual short
“I hope it’s just a cramp. We’re going to wait for it to cool down and then do some tests,” she told La Chaîne L’Equipe in the mixed zone. I’ve already got a little weakness in that area because I tore it in 2018. I had it in the second round, and I managed to adapt on the skis until this last wall. It’s so steep and so demanding […] that I couldn’t stand on the front of my foot any more. It was too painful.” “We hope it’s just cramp,” said his coach Cyril Burdet on Sunday evening.
The French biathlon boss told Nordic Magazine at the end of the afternoon that nothing would be announced “before tomorrow”, the day of the individual short (start at 4.20pm).
So there is still some suspense as to the state of health of Julia Simon’s left calf, who did not train at the stadium this morning. As the coaching staff remind us, however, there is no need for alarmism.
- Kontiolahti: Julia Simon undergoes an MRI scan early this afternoon
- Julia Simon gives news of her left calf after the Kontiolahti relay: “I hope it’s just a cramp”.
- Julia Simon, walls are springboards
- After the opening relays, what is the programme for the second week of the Kontiolahti World Cup?
