This Friday, Quentin Fillon Maillet once again made history in French biathlon. On the track at Antholz-Anterselva, Italy, the 33-year-old from Jura won the men’s Olympic sprint, securing the fourth Olympic title of his career and bringing his total Winter Games medal count to seven. Already a five-time medalist in Beijing 2022, including two titles, Quentin Fillon Maillet confirms his status as a world reference in the discipline.
Over the 10 kilometers of the sprint, the Frenchman delivered a complete performance, combining speed and absolute shooting mastery. With a flawless 10/10 behind the rifle, he turned his consistency into a decisive advantage. His time of 22 minutes 53 seconds and 1 tenth allowed him to surpass Norwegian Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, second at 13 seconds and 7 tenths, and his compatriot Sturla Holm Laegreid, bronze medalist at 15 seconds and 9 tenths.
A perfect biathlon to erase doubts
During the previous individual event, Quentin Fillon Maillet had let his chances slip with four shooting errors, despite an impressive skiing performance. Nicknamed “ the morbac” for his tenacity, he nevertheless showed confidence in the mixed zone, convinced he had the necessary tools to bounce back.
The Anterselva sprint proved him right. Solid on his prone shooting, long considered his weak point, he hit green at every intermediate. The second French starter after Fabien Claude, penalized by five misses, Quentin Fillon Maillet quickly took the lead thanks to a sustained and steady pace. His finish, once again very strong, sealed a controlled victory from start to finish.
Emilien Jacquelin misses the podium by two tenths
On his side, Emilien Jacquelin long threatened a French one-two finish. The biathlete from Isère also delivered a perfect shooting, confirming his progress behind the rifle. Starting very fast, Emilien Jacquelin led after the first shooting stage, before delivering a second rapid shooting in 16 seconds and 8 tenths. He then started the last loop with a 6 seconds and 3 tenths lead over Quentin Fillon Maillet.
But the end of the race was fatal to him. Less sharp physically in the final part of the course, Emilien Jacquelin lost ground in the last hectometers. He ultimately finished fourth, just two tenths of a second behind Sturla Holm Laegreid. A tiny margin that inevitably leaves regrets, especially as Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen secured silver in the final moments.
Quentin Fillon Maillet joins the legend of French biathlon
With this fourth Olympic title and seventh Winter Games medal, Quentin Fillon Maillet joins the great figures of French biathlon. His performance at Anterselva brings him closer to the standards set by Martin Fourcade, the absolute reference in the discipline in France. At 33, the Franc-Comtois shows he remains one of the most complete biathletes on the international circuit, capable of combining precision, power, and strategic management of major events.
