Biathlon: one year on, Alice Dusserre returns to the World Youth Championships
Last winter, Montblanc native Alice Dusserre discovered international biathlon competitions at the Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon (South Korea) and the World Youth Championships in Otepää (Estonia).
A gold medallist in the mixed events on both occasions, the student at the Lycée du Fayet near Chamonix (Haute-Savoie) was unable to shine in the individual events.
So this winter, she was aiming to return to the international arena to exact her revenge. “But the start of the season was rather complicated for me. I wasn’t in the shape I’d hoped for on the skis, she regrets to Nordic Magazine. I did everything I could at every race to hang on behind the rifle, which enabled me to get some good results, including two podium finishes. Then, seeing that I wasn’t selected for the Junior Cup and then the European Junior Championships was a bit of a blow to my morale.”
A hard-fought place at La Féclaz
Finally, after a period of rest, Alice Dusserre managed to get back into the physical shape she was looking for. A return to fitness that enabled her to stake her claim for a place at the U19 World Championships in Östersund (Sweden) in early February.
“It was hard to select because Coralie [Perrin] and Louise [Roguet] were protected. There were only two places left and, after Les Contamines, only one with the two victories of Lola [Bugeaud], she explains. Throughout the selections, it was very close with some of the girls and we had to fight right to the end to get this ticket.”
It was after the pursuit at La Féclaz (Savoie) that the Mont-Blanc biathlete confirmed her place in Sweden. “I hadn’t made any calculations and I didn’t know what I had to do to be selected, but I played my cards right and gave it my all. In the end, I won the last race and that gave me the ticket”, she enthuses.
“I’m really super happy to be able to compete against the best in the world”
For Alice Dusserre, this selection for the World Youth Championships is obviously good news: “It’s a return to international competition and I’m really pleased to be able to compete against the best in the world in my age category. It’s a great feeling!”
In Östersund, at a legendary biathlon venue, the 18-year-old athlete, title holder in the mixed relay, will be giving her all to win individual medals.
“I’m a bit more ambitious than I was a year ago because I’m back in form. Last year, I had a dip in form at this time, so I’m hoping to have better results than last year. I’m going to give it my all,” she concludes.
- The full programme for the World Youth and Junior Championships in Östersund
- With Voldiya Galmace-Paulin, Amandine Mengin, Gaëtan Paturel and Anaëlle Bondoux: the French team selection for the 2025 World Youth and Junior Championships in Östersund.
- Östersund: despite a ruptured ulnar collateral ligament in her left thumb, Anaëlle Bondoux will be lining up at the start of the World Junior Championships
- After a difficult start to the season, Antonin Guy has bounced back to secure his place at the World Youth Championships: “It’s like a reward for all the work we’ve put in since mid-January”.
