Snow sweeps through the Zhangjiakou interview area.
Quentin Fillon Maillet's opponents have already left to get warm.
The tricolor biathlete ends his media obstacle course as a new national hero.
With two gold medals and as much silver in China, Martin Fourcade's successor has just entered the history of French sport as the most successful athlete in a single Olympic fortnight...
How far do you plan to continue collecting medals?
QUENTIN FILLON MAILLET.
(Smile)
I'm not going to stop as long as it works.
It goes way beyond all my dreams.
Fourth medal in four races, two gold medals is just incredible.
I'm so proud of myself because the conditions were tough and complicated.
I found the solution on the windy shooting conditions, on the ski it was really very slow, so a super hard fight, zero recovery during the race.
We had to push, push.
I doubted a lot of times.
The goal was to make good shots.
My strategy was to refuel and put pressure on Johannes
(Editor's note: Boe, left in the lead and victim of gusts on his standing shot).
I don't know if I put pressure on him but he cracked at shooting and that allowed me to get this gold medal.
It's so beautiful.
Dream games 😭✨🥇
.
📸 K. Voigt pic.twitter.com/19G6GVDfAc
— Quentin Fillon Maillet (@quentinfillon) February 13, 2022
You don't seem to realize.
Did you feel like it was written?
I don't really believe in fate or things like that.
I am the actor and there is so much investment in the past that I tell myself that it is really a great reward.
I never imagined being rewarded in such a way.
I had never dreamed of a scenario like that.
When you get up in the morning and you know it's snowing, you know it's windy, it's always scary but I thought it's the same for everyone.
"I'm not afraid of going to win anymore"
Quentin Fillon Maillet
Was there a pivotal moment in the Olympiad that explains your transformation?
I think I met people throughout the preparation who gave me confidence in myself.
I'm no longer afraid of going to win, I'm no longer afraid of playing, I'm no longer afraid of going for the last shot and having big stakes.
The last shot, with Latypov
(Editor's note: the Russian finished second)
, I know that we are playing for the gold medal at that time.
I don't know what's going to happen behind but I'm going, I'm not shaking and it's tough.
That's really the key.
It was the head that decided to win and the body followed after a fashion because it was difficult on the skis.
And now there is a relay...
You can imagine that not all biathletes have a podium, doping control, press conference… Their recovery is easier.
I'm also proud because it's not easy to deal with it when it succeeds.
I want to continue writing my story and the story of French biathlon.
We have a good stint to do on Tuesday and I will be wholeheartedly with my teammates to get some good things.