Biathlon: “The good thing is that I really didn’t hurt my back”, says Emilien Claude
Almost three months to the day after undergoing surgery for a herniated disc, Vosges biathlete Emilien Claude returned to competition on Wednesday in the individual World Cup race in Östersund (Sweden). In this 20-kilometre event, the 26-year-old Frenchman finished in thirty-eighth place with an 18/20 behind the rifle, but the main point was elsewhere.
“Three months ago, I was back in hospital for an operation. It wasn’t far from an achievement to take the start today. The good thing is that I really didn’t have any back pain, I wasn’t bothered at all”, he confided at the finish to La Chaîne L’Equipe.
Lacking “reference points” and on a track that wasn’t particularly “suited to [him]”, the Frenchman clocked the fifty-eighth fastest time, more than 3 minutes behind the Norwegian winner Johan-Olav Botn.
“I had trouble getting into my race and finding the right rhythm. Even in the shooting, on the first dismount [4/5, editor’s note], I wasn’t necessarily super concentrated. I think it’s going to get stronger, it’s still not a bad race”, concludes Emilien Claude.
- 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)
- Point 15.6.3.c. of the IBU regulations: why can the French women’s team field seven biathletes in Östersund?
- Östersund: in the opening individual race, Lou Jeanmonnot will wear the red bib, Franziska Preuss the yellow jersey
- Östersund: Dorothea Wierer triumphs in the individual event ahead of Sonja Leinamo and Camille Bened, who takes her first solo podium finish
- Östersund: five years later, Dorothea Wierer dons the yellow bib again
- “It’s the fruit of a lot of hard work”: an emotional Camille Bened talks about her third place in the Östersund individual event
- “I had to be extra vigilant all the time”: Camille Bened reveals why she took the (winning) gamble of having her left shoulder operated on last April
- 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: Camille Bened became the eleventh Frenchwoman to finish on an individual World Cup podium since the start of the 2022/2023 season.
- “I feel like I’m dreaming”: an unexpected first podium for Sonja Leinamo
- Maya Cloetens, sixth in the Östersund individual, takes part in her first World Cup flower ceremony: “It’s just crazy, I don’t realise it yet”.
- “I’m taking my toll with every lap”: twenty-ninth in the first race of the winter in Östersund, Franziska Preuss worries about her fitness
- Ahead of the first individual race of the winter, Eric Perrot told Nordic Magazine : “I feel really ready to take part in the general classification”.
- Östersund: Johan-Olav Botn takes his first World Cup win by winning the individual, Eric Perrot best Frenchman
- Östersund: Johan-Olav Botn takes the yellow bib for the first time in his career
- “I’m in seventh heaven”: Johan-Olav Botn, who was ill at the start of the week, ran the perfect race in Östersund.
- “The aim was really not to panic”: the strategy put in place by Siegfried Mazet, which enabled the Norwegians to shine collectively in the individual race in Östersund.
- “Everything went really well”: Sebastian Samuelsson on the podium, Jesper Nelin in a strong sixth place, the Swedes get their season off to a perfect start in Östersund
- “We’re where we should be”: a tricky first individual race for the French team, far from the podium in Östersund
