Biathlon: “I don’t realize it”, a look back at Justine Braisaz Bouchet’s crazy week

2023-12-17 18:28:20

Here is one that will surely spend the holidays peacefully. This Sunday, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet ended her superb week in the Swiss resort of Lenzerheide by winning the mass start ahead of Swedish sisters Elvira and Hanna Oeberg. An event that the Albertville native knows well, having won gold in Beijing in 2022. “I really like this format because it leaves little room for thought and a lot for action. This is what allowed me to enter this race and these shots”, reacts the one who signed a flawless rifle in hand, which is not in the habits of the Savoyard.

The day before, the 27-year-old biathlete had already reached the top step of the podium in the pursuit, ahead of her compatriot Julia Simon. A double with high symbolic value when we know the legal conflict around credit card fraud between the two biathletes from Les Saisies. Two days earlier, the week had started in the best possible way by winning the sprint, her first victory since returning from maternity leave after a sleepless season.

The yellow jersey “anecdotal today”

Thanks to these three victories in four days, another in the mixed relay in Östersund as well as two podiums in Hochfilzen, the 27-year-old biathlete moves to the top of the World Cup rankings, ahead of the Norwegian Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold and the Swede Elvira Oeberg . “I had a great weekend, I scored points. I’m happy to have the yellow jersey for Christmas but today, it’s anecdotal. It will make a lot more sense at the end of February, beginning of March. Until then, there are still a good handful of us who can claim it at the end of winter,” says the Frenchwoman.

Already wearing this swimsuit in 2017, during which she admits to having been “anxious” at the age of 21 at the time, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet made the big crystal globe her main objective. “For me, being at the top of the World Cup rankings has been a dream since the start of my career. Only the best biathletes have ever won a crystal globe. It represents the cream of the crop. You can win the Olympics, I did it, or a World Championship race, but it remains a one-day race. This yellow jersey represents a sacred base, a sacred basis in the qualities of the biathlete. »

“I’m a little detached”

Before returning to competition on January 4 in Oberhof, Germany, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet will have a few days to come back to Earth. “I don’t realize my week yet, I’m a little detached. I don’t realize it and maybe that’s a good thing. That way, I protect myself,” slips the champion with a smile.

Before the Christmas break, three French women occupied the top 10 in the general ranking of the World Cup. With three podiums, Julia Simon occupies sixth place. Behind, in tenth place, we find the revelation of French women’s biathlon Lou Jeanmonnot, who has already worn the yellow jersey after two victories in Östersund.