"It was really played out at the end", breathes Quentin Fillon Maillet "proud to open the counter for the French collective".

"There is a touch of disappointment not to have the gold medal, admitted the current French world No.1, but I'm really happy."

Arriving in China with the Olympic title of the 2018 Olympics mixed relay in their luggage, the French were necessarily aiming for gold, but with the scenario proposed in Zhangjiakou, 180 kilometers northwest of the Chinese capital, and more. with the dantesque wind conditions, they will be satisfied with the silver medal, won after a hard fight.

The joy of the French Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet, Emilien Jacquelin, Julia Simon and Quentin Fillon Maillet, after their 2nd place in the mixed relay at the Beijing Games, February 5, 2022 in the cross-country ski stadium of Zhangjiakou Tobias SCHWARZ AFP

After Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet's first stint, the game got off to a bad start: if the Frenchwoman's prone shot went rather well (one "pickaxe" or reload, three per shot allowed in stints), she had to take a turn on the penalty ring after her four "pickaxes" on the standing shot.

“She chains the first four targets and at the fifth the burst arrives, describes the French shooting coach Jean-Paul Giachino. The ball does not fit and then we remain static, we start to shake … and there has the emotional side when you see the opponent leaving."

The French Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet, during the mixed relay, at the Beijing Games, on February 5, 2022 in the cross-country ski stadium of Zhangjiakou Pierre-Philippe MARCOU AFP

However, this was only the beginning of the emotional roller coaster that the French team experienced for a good hour on the Nordic site, a real open-air refrigerator (-13 degrees), at the foot of the ski jumping hill.

Because with such random conditions on the launch pad, everything was constantly called into question.

Norway in the lead during the first handover, saw it with Tiril Eckhoff in check behind his rifle.

Julia Simon was able to make an exceptional comeback thanks to a passage on the controlled shooting range and launch Emilien Jacquelin in the lead.

The strength of the collective

Sure of his shot on the first eight balls released (five lying down, then three standing up), Jacquelin's mechanics then jammed.

“With the cold, I use thicker gloves, he explained. Picking up the pickaxe is already complicated, there the place where to put it is frozen. to put the pickaxes."

Result: five faults, two rounds of penalties and a mano to mano with Russia, under neutral flag, Norway, Sweden and the United States.

Frenchman Emilien Jacquelin reloads his rifle on the shooting range during the mixed relay at the Beijing Olympics on February 5, 2022 at the Zhangjiakou cross-country ski stadium Tobias SCHWARZ AFP

For Quentin Fillon Maillet, world No.1 and last torchbearer, the match of five turned into a match of three, with the Russians and the Norwegians, after the standing shot.

In the final sprint he was powerless against Johannes Boe, but saved silver against Eduard Latypov.

The joy of biathlete Johannes Thingnes Boe, winner of the mixed relay with Norway, ahead of Frenchman Quentin Fillon-Maillet and Russian Eduard Latypov, at the Beijing Olympics, February 5, 2022 at the Zhangjiakou Pierre cross-country ski stadium -Philippe MARCOU AFP

The French biathletes, orphans of their star Martin Fourcade, retired for two winters now, approach these 2022 Olympics in a position to carry out a real raid, with a highly anticipated match, both for men and women, with Norway, the another dominant nation in the discipline.

"It's great for the future, announces Quentin Fillon Maillet. I was already very confident, the feelings are validated."

French biathlete Quentin Fillon-Maillet, on the shooting range, during the mixed relay, on February 5, 2022 in the cross-country ski stadium of Zhangjiakou Tobias SCHWARZ AFP

The record of six medals from the Vancouver Games in 2010 seems more accessible than ever for biathletes.

The next meetings on the individual women (15 km, Monday) and men (20 km, Tuesday), will give indicators on their ability to adapt to the conditions and to seek this record.

© 2022 AFP