From our special correspondent in Beijing
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If Quentin Fillon-Maillet puts the medals around his neck like others pearls on a necklace, parity is not in place so far in French biathlon.
Indeed, apart from the silver won by Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet during the individual, the Blue did not shine during these Beijing Games.
Far from the potential they were given.
The sad demonstration of this was made this Wednesday during a stint to be forgotten overall, ending in a disappointing 6th place when they had won two victories in four races in this World Cup event this season.
A real mess.
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First to start, Anaïs Bescond did what was expected of her.
Namely a solid relay, with a single pick on the standing shot and a correct ski time, which allowed France to be in the game, in 5th position 12 seconds behind a Germany-Sweden-Italy trio then in head, when Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet succeeded him on the track.
Alas, that was when the hexagonal ship sank.
Far from the face she displayed during the individual, where she won the title of Olympic vice-champion, the Iséroise repeated her sad exit from the sprint, with four stray balls and a penalty round from the lying shot, fortunately slightly offset by a standing exercise of better quality (a single pickaxe).
Which was always better than the Norwegian Tiril Eckhoff, cold and trembling,
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So much so that halfway through, the two nations a priori favorites for this relay found themselves far from the podium, France in 8th position at 1'45'' from the Russians in the lead, Norway just behind.
But since the jurisprudence of the male relay of the day before, and the improbable Russian collapse precisely, it was not yet the time to condemn them.
Except that from her first lying shot, Justine Brasaz had to draw twice, which accentuated her delay.
But just to revive the suspense, the Russian Svetlana Mironova was doing a "Latypov", named after the unfortunate last Russian torchbearer who sank her team's golden dreams, starting on the ring when she had a beautiful advance.
This allowed Brasaiz and his 5 on 5 standing to close the gap,
Capable of anything, the Savoyard then embarked on an improbable hunt for the podium.
With, a significant detail, as a companion in misfortune the Norwegian Marte Roeiseland, already triple Olympic champion here in Beijing.
Either an asset to attempt a remount for two, but also a serious client if, by chance, the tandem had to explain itself at the end of the course.
After the prone shot, the affairs of the two young women were looking better, with more than thirty seconds to go on the third.
The gold medal had definitely gone to Sweden, and the silver to Russia.
Everything was then played on the last firing point, which Roeiseland mastered better, Julia Simon confusing speed and haste with three crippling pickaxes.
But without regret, finally,
since the Norwegian was going to fail at the foot of the podium.
Proof that a comeback also has its limits.
Not sure, however, that this consoles the French.