Biathlon: Julia Simon individual world champion
On Tuesday afternoon, in idyllic conditions under the sun of Lenzerheide (Switzerland), Julia Simon became biathlon world champion for the eighth time in her career. Four of these titles have been won solo… and just one in the individual event. In fact, it was this title that the woman from Beaufort won in the canton of Grisons.
After a complicated first week on a personal level, with a seventh-place finish in the sprint and a twelfth-place finish in the pursuit, she managed to pull herself together to win individual gold.
“It’s one of my least favourite races, but one of the ones where you learn the most and where I’ve built myself up. It was perfect to put things right, she told La Chaîne L’Equipe in the wake of her world title win. I have the impression that I was in control throughout my race. I stayed in a zone where I was physically well, I tried to ski long, to push at times, but I was never in a tough spot.”
An impressive track record
In fact, in the first round, Julia Simon revealed that she had seen her former team-mate Célia Aymonier “and her little one” on the side of the track. It was a chance encounter that put a smile on the Savoyard’s face.
“I had the impression that I was taking in all the information around the track, processing it, but that nothing was getting through to me. Nothing could take me out of the race, she sums up. It’s so pleasant because it’s not often [that this happens] in a career.”
In terms of shooting, the biathlete from Villard-sur-Doron (Savoie) describes herself as “pleasantly relaxed behind [her] rifle” in the prone. “I had a technical point and I remembered it with every shot, says Julia Simon. When I stood up, my legs were shaking and I felt like I was on the verge of collapsing, but I held on. This victory is for all the people who supported me.”
With this victory, Julia Simon adds an eighth world title, her fourth individual, to her trophy cabinet. “It’s a great list of achievements, but I find it hard to say that it’s mine. When you’re a sportswoman, you reset with each new season”, she concludes.
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