France Clinches First Gold at 2026 Winter Olympics with Mixed Relay Biathlon Victory

On February 8, 2026, France's mixed relay biathlon team secured the nation's first gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, delivering a commanding performance that reaffirmed their status as reigning champions. The quartet—Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon Maillet, Lou Jeanmonnot, and Julia Simon—finished ahead of Italy by 25.8 seconds and Germany by over a minute, adding France's second medal of the Games following Mathis Desloges's silver in cross-country skiing.

The French team had come into the event as favorites, holding the title of double world champions and having reached the Olympic podium in the past two Games—gold in 2018 (Pyeongchang) and silver in 2022 (Beijing). Eric Perrot, leading the World Cup standings, set a strong opening pace. Though the team faced a slight setback after Fillon Maillet's leg, who brought France into third place, Lou Jeanmonnot's determined skiing propelled them back into contention.

Jeanmonnot handed off to Julia Simon with an 18-second lead, and Simon cemented victory with a flawless shooting display. This marked Julia Simon’s first individual Olympic title, while Quentin Fillon Maillet extended his tally to six Olympic medals.

Reflecting on the historic triumph, Eric Perrot said, "It’s magic. I think I still don’t quite realize everything; these are such grand events." The victory not only demonstrated the team's resilience and skill under pressure but also added a proud chapter to France's Winter Olympic legacy.