Marie-Laure Brunet review
Biathlon: Marie-Laure Brunet’s view of the second week of the Lenzerheide World Championships
Throughout the winter, a retired biathlete from France will be debriefing the season’s various competitions for Nordic Magazine. Marie-Laure Brunet, 2009 world champion in the mixed relay and two-time Olympic medallist, takes the opportunity to review the second week of the world championships in Lenzerheide (Switzerland).
Another historic World Cup for Les Bleus
“It’s a great result! It’s great to see the French men’s and women’s teams at the top level at the same time. What I find remarkable is that in this team, they’re all capable of winning medals. That’s the richness of this team at the moment: they can all go on to achieve top individual performances. What I like is this density that allows us to perform individually and collectively, which hasn’t always been the case in the past. That’s something that hasn’t always been the case in the past, and it’s also evident in all the relays!”
“I’d like to highlight the collective effort that went into preparing for the championships and on the skis. We had a French team that knew how to turn up all the sliders at the right time. That helps enormously! I’ve also seen athletes who have arrived at these World Championships in great shape. The team’s decision to leave the athletes at home between the last World Cup and the Worlds is paying off. I’m convinced of the benefits of arriving at a major event mentally fresh. We also managed the altitude and recovery well. To be able to slam it at the end of the second week on such a demanding course means that everything was well done and prepared!”
Four gold medals for Julia Simon, including victory in the individual event
“Julia [Simon] is one of a small number of athletes who know each other very well and know how to activate the levers leading to very high performance when it’s needed. Before the competition started, my money was on her! She’s a lady of the big events. She has both the consistency to play over a full season when all the parameters are in the green and the ability to mobilise her resources for the races she has ticked off. Remember her sprint at the Worlds last year? I met her at La Féclaz before she left for Lenzerheide, we had a little chat and I could tell from her relaxed, non-verbal manner that things were going to go well!”
Eric Perrot, king of the individual
“Frankly, it’s no surprise. Eric [Perrot] is an athlete who learns very quickly, who already has a great deal of maturity and that makes for a fine biathlon. He’s someone who already knows how to manage a number of parameters linked to very high performance. There’s a lot of serenity behind that. It’s great to see an athlete like that with humility and serenity, but also with a lot of ambition and commitment. That’s the combination I like, so I’m very happy to see him shine and be rewarded. I also think that this is just the beginning.”
Relay title and mass-start silver for Océane Michelon
“First participation in the Worlds and first medal on a mass-start, that’s class! It’s great to see young people coming through and performing well. This silver medal in the mass start is a great performance. It’s going to teach her a lot. Mass races are races where you make a lot of progress because you’re on the skis of the best. I’m sure that it’s going to trigger a few things and give her a better understanding of her abilities and what she’s capable of producing.”
Solo medals, but no gold for Quentin Fillon-Maillet
“It’s great to see him win a medal! Seeing his current level on skis is great! He’s clearly got what it takes to slam it out in front in all the formats, but it’s still biathlon… There are a few adjustments to be made to his prone shot to enable him to realise his full potential. But I see an athlete who is happy and fulfilled, which is a good sign. His World Championships are still very good, even if we want – and he wants – even more!”
An exceptional French women’s relay
“They really dominated from start to finish! It was a very high level… The girls were really in control, with just four picks. They were committed from start to finish and were more than a minute ahead of Norway at the finish. What I thought was great was that the girls started to make holes in the race from the outset. After that, they really got into their stride. It was magnificently executed!”
The disappointment of Emilien Jacquelin
“It’s a shame to see him miss out on his World Championships. It’s a shame, above all, not to have seen him keep up the positive momentum from the start of the World Cup season. He’s an athlete who has everything in him, but it didn’t work out this time. He did come home with a gold medal [in the mixed relay], but I imagine that his personal results must be mixed. It wasn’t the best fortnight of his career, but he’s got the opportunity to turn his attention quickly to the rest of the season and to get things back on track. He clearly has some great things to look forward to in this final World Cup period!”
No individual title for Lou Jeanmonnot
“I think it’s a bit of a disappointment for her because I imagine she had a lot of ambition going into the World Championships. In any case, I had high hopes for her! That said, winning a medal in an individual race is already great. I think she has what it takes to go further. She’s always been placed over the two weeks, but she’s missed a little ball here and there. You could say that’s what’s left a bit of a sour taste. The last part of the season is going to be intense and I’m sure she’ll rise to the challenge.”
A paid entry for Emilien Claude, silver on the relay
“He held his nerve in the relay and it’s not easy to come into a World Cup like that after being a substitute. I think he made a great start. It’s great to see that this French team, whatever its composition, manages to find solutions to take the medal. Opposite them was a very strong Norwegian team that really wanted to go for the title. Relays help build young athletes, so I’m sure this medal will be very good for Emilien [Claude] at the end of the season.
Elvira Oeberg finally world champion
“It’s great to see Elvira [Oeberg] become world champion. It feels great! It’s also good to see foreign players up front alongside the French, who are at a high level. We’re keen to see foreign players come and challenge them a bit more. It’s also good to see a new wave of athletes and a new generation shaking up the world hierarchy like Ella Halvarsson and Maren Kirkeeide have done.”
The Boe brothers’ last World Championships
“We’re really going to miss them! Hats off to Johannes [Thingnes Boe], who had another great World Championships. They’re a reflection of the biathlete he is and his career. He knows himself inside out and knows how to handle major events. Once again, he was there. It was a bit difficult for Tarjei [Boe] individually, but he’s going for team gold with his brother. That’s great! Their careers are great and it’s a great turning point for Norway. It will certainly give others the chance to blossom and find their place in the group.”
Endre Stroemsheim, the chef’s surprise on the mass-start
“We weren’t necessarily expecting him, but he was superbly strong in his race management on this mass-start. He really built up this victory. He missed a target on the first shot, but then went on to score a couple of full runs. The way he managed his last lap was top-notch: he didn’t go in with his arms folded! He was solid and must have felt strong to attack where he did.”
The Campbell Wright revelation
“He’s a boy with a lot of talent who’s just exploding. He’s full of freshness and seems nice. I think it’s good to see athletes like that, who seem to be at ease with themselves. He gives off a happy vibe and seems to have really enjoyed his World Championships! Where he’s been good is that he’s kept up his momentum and hasn’t collapsed, apart from in the individual. It’s great to see him at this level!”
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