Biathlon: Océane Michelon and Johannes Thingnes Boe’s bouquet
Océane Michelon from Savoie will be making her debut at the Biathlon World Cup in Le Grand-Bornand (Haute-Savoie) on Friday in the sprint. But only as an athlete. In 2013, she attended the event as a spectator. At the age of 11 and still a very young athlete, she witnessed the exploits of Johannes Thingnes Boe, who won the sprint/chase double at just 20 years of age.
“My greatest memory is when Johannes Thingnes Boe, winner of the pursuit in 2013, gave me his bouquet, she recalled on Wednesday afternoon in the mixed zone. It was his second career victory and I still have his bouquet at home. It’s very nice, it’s been lacquered and it’s still alive!”
Océane Michelon also recounted the story on IBU social media, with the Norwegian replying in the comments that he was sure the Frenchwoman was going to take “her own flowers this weekend” by breaking into the top 6.
In blue at Le Grand-Bornand
To do that, the biathlete from Lescheraines (Savoie) will have to tame the beast: the fury of the Sylvie-Becaert stadium. “Le Grand-Bornand is the loudest World Cup for us, she says. I experienced Oberhof and Ruhpolding for my first World Cups, which was already something, but here, Cyril [Burdet] told me that I was entering a new dimension.”
“One of her objectives is to gain experience and continue her progression by learning what the Grand-Bornand public is like,” says her coach Cyril Burdet. What’s more, Océane Michelon will be instantly recognisable… she’ll be wearing the blue bib of best U23!
- The full programme for the Annecy – Le Grand-Bornand World Cup, third leg of the 2024/2025 season
- Grand-Bornand World Cup: the Sylvie-Becaert stadium from the air
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Annecy – Le Grand-Bornand
