Julia Simon, third, and Anais Chevalier Bouchet, fourth, led the Mass Start Female for a long time, won, Sunday, February 19, in Oberhof, Germany, by the Swedish Hanna Oeberg.
by Louise Le Borgne
Julia Simon will have gone through all emotions. The one who had not hidden her disappointment, Saturday, after a frustrating fourth place in the female relay, tackled the last test of Oberhof Worlds (Germany) with the desire to set the record straight. But, as with men, a little earlier Sunday, February 19, at the end it is Sweden that wins.
Like his compatriot Samuelsson, Hanna Oeberg (18/20) became world champion of Mass Start (12.5 km) in front of the huge stands of Arena Am Rennsteig, garnished with 20,000 spectators despite the rain. She is ahead of the Norwegian Ingrid Tandrevold and Julia Simon. Anais Chevalier-Bouchet, long at the top of the race, must be satisfied with fourth place.
The last justice of the peace
Part of the Mass Start, her face closed, Julia Simon first paid her inaccuracies with a lying shot (8/10), who forced him to work on the skis to join the head group . It is another Frenchwoman, Anais Chevalier-Bouchet, who then led dance alongside Linn Personn and Lisa Theresa Hauser, reigning world champion. The top trio dug a first gap at the second lying shot. Mounting a clean copy on skis and shooting steps (19/20), Knight-Bouchet, 30, could then consider a first individual medal during these Worlds.
Often justice of the peace of the Mass Start test, the first standing shot offered the best possible configuration to the Habs. After a flawless, Anais Chevalier Bouchet and Julia Simon (+7 ”) came out of the head of fire, after Personn and Hauser received a penalty lap. The Blue then counted 14 seconds ahead of their pursuers, the Swedish Hanna Oeberg and the Norwegian Ingrid Tandrevold.
engaged in a duel on the last shot, the two French women took all risks in their title race. In a style opposite to the impetuous Julia Simon, Anais Chevalier-Bouchet advanced with calm and application, for the same result: a missed ball. The Tricolores saw their advantage melt.
At the same time, the Swedish Hanna Oeberg (10/10 standing) made a high -flying number, blackening her targets in record time. Already silver medalist during the sprint and sacred on the individual, the Swedish just had to maintain her advance on the Norwegian Tandrevold (5/5 at the last shot) and on the Blue to offer a new title .
Julia Simon tried everything for the whole
Third and fourth positions outings, more than eight seconds from the race head, the French could not catch up. Julia Simon, in a start, joined the Norwegian in second place before cracking in the final. “I came out of the last lap, I told myself that I was going to try to get Hanna [Oeberg], even I knew she had very good legs. I wanted to stay on the podium and I tried Everything for everything. It was played with battery or face. I thought I had dropped Ingrid, but, with the aspiration, she returned to the second part of the loop. I don’t regret anything, I had to try it, I am satisfied with this bronze medal, “recognized the tricolor at the microphone of the chain l’Equipe.
After having been in the battle for victory for a long time, Anais Chevalier Bouchet finally failed at the foot of the podium. “I miss a ball on the race, it’s like that. I played and I gave myself the means to play the title. I was aiming for gold, I tried to produce my best biathlon and I leave Without regrets, “explained, very moved, the French. His sister, Chloé Chevallier, finishes thirteenth (+1’03 ”, 18/20).
A time for a fight at the head of the race, Lou Jeanmonnot said herself “exhausted” after the Mass Start. For its first world championships, the Tricolore, fifteenth (+1’20), explains “not having had much energy on skis”, despite a satisfactory shot (18/20).
The French delegation closes these Biathlon Worlds with four medals, including two in gold, during the male relay and female pursuit. It is three less than during the 2021 Worlds in Poklujka (Slovenia) and four less than in 2020, in Antholz-Antselva (Italy).