If we had to remember one title from these ten days of madness and ecstasy, it would perhaps be this one.
For all that it is both unique and symbolic.
Saturday afternoon, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Sophie Chauveau, Lou Jeanmonnot and Julia Simon met with competition and history.
They had promised each other.
It was inconceivable to see the French women's relay leave once again without a gold medal from the Biathlon Worlds.
Despite the shooting scares of young Sophie Chauveau, devastated at the idea of ruining everything, despite a capricious wind, the mistake is now repaired.
The quartet managed to get what they came for.
Victory and respect.
This race perfectly embodies the stratospheric level of this French women's team which, during these ten days, carried the tricolor camp in the Czech Republic, crowned best nation of these championships just ahead of Norway (12) and Italy, years away. light of the front duo (4).
The 2016 record (11 medals, including 5 for Martin Fourcade) ended up giving way on Sunday thanks to the triumph of Braisaz-Bouchet in the mass start, the premier event, and the 3rd place of his friend Lou Jeanmonnot.
The Blues thus return home with thirteen charms.
Including nine just for the girls who only missed the individual title, even finishing in the first four places in the sprint.
After the experts or the indestructibles of handball, shouldn't we need this group of champions, the “untouchables”?
A supremacy with an “s”
As much as the supremacy of men bore the face of King Martin Fourcade in the 2010s, women shine with their versatility.
A supremacy with an “s” and a feeling of omnipotence for this group which nevertheless had everything to collapse after the bank card affair involving the two leaders Julia Simon and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet.
It is now a matter of perpetuating this emulation with a view to the Milan-Cortina Winter Games in two years.
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“We have two leaders: Justine and Julia, but it’s nice to see a team that doesn’t just rely on individuality.
The entire women's team is performing well.
This is unprecedented in history.
From the start of these Worlds, the sprint set the tempo.
What is ultimately most impressive, and what is also the hardest, is that they were able to string together the races.
There was no cracking.
Never,” greets former champion Marie-Laure Brunet, converted to mental preparation, notably alongside Julia Simon.
Quentin Fillon Maillet, a clearing at the best of times
For the boys, it was more complicated.
But not catastrophic either, let's say faithful to the current hierarchy, just below the big names.
Among the good surprises, let us note the rise in power of Quentin Fillon Maillet.
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The Jurassian is no longer the QFM of the year 2022, capable of standing up to Lord Johannes Boe and gleaning the big crystal globe of the World Cup.
But he proved that he was still capable of high-flying races, in relay (two gold medals and one bronze) but also individually like this Sunday by snatching the bronze in the mass start, the only medal in men's individual, but also above all his first podium of the season.