French Biathlon Team Secures Impressive Second Places in Nove Mesto Mixed Relays

The French biathlon team has showcased strong performances in two mixed relay events at Nove Mesto, securing second place finishes in both competitions on January 24, 2026.

In the mixed relay featuring Océane Michelon, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Oscar Lombardot, and Quentin Fillon Maillet, France finished behind Italy by 25 seconds. Despite a challenging start by Michelon who made mistakes early on, Braisaz-Bouchet’s flawless shooting helped regain ground, passing a lead to Lombardot. Although Lombardot maintained strong shooting and a lead, Italy's Lukas Hofer closed the gap with faster skiing, and with Fillon Maillet trailing Italy's Tommaso Giacomel by 23 seconds, France ended second, 24 seconds ahead of the Czech Republic. Italy, that began in fifth, demonstrated peak form ahead of the Milan-Cortina Olympics, setting the stage for a rematch on February 8.

In another relay, Jeanne Richard and Emilien Claude earned France a second-place finish in the mixed relay simple event. Germany was initially the winner but was later disqualified due to a rifle violation by Marlene Fichtner, promoting France to second. Richard achieved a perfect shooting record of 20/20—the only perfect score in the relay—while Claude overtook Norway’s Martin Nevland in the final leg after overcoming six shooting errors. This podium finish marks France’s second in two mixed relays this season, following a third place in Ostersund, Sweden. Notably, this mixed relay simple event is not part of the Olympic program.

These results highlight France’s depth and competitiveness in mixed relay biathlon events as the team builds momentum towards the 2026 Winter Olympics.