The Grand-Bornand Biathlon World Cup sprint race last Friday was marked by stark contrasts for the French athletes, particularly for Océane Michelon and Lou Jeanmonnot. While both had shown promise during the early stages of the race, it was their performance on the shooting range, particularly during the standing shots, which led to disappointing results.
Initially, the atmosphere surrounding the event was electric, with enthusiastic crowds eager to support local favorites like Michelon and Jeanmonnot. After starting the race under the blue bib of best athlete under 23, Océane Michelon looked poised for success, covering the first four kilometers impressively and managing her first shot without any faults. At one point, she was even projected to finish within the top ten.
"I had hoped to do well here at home," Michelon remarked after the race. "It's tough, but I'm learning. It's not my first stumble, and I wish it would stop." Unfortunately for her and Jeanmonnot, the standing shots proved to be the undoing. Both athletes missed three of their shots during this phase, which meant penalty laps on what should have been their strong points of the race.
Despite their fall from promising positions (Michelon finished 34th and Jeanmonnot 35th), the two athletes demonstrated strong skiing capabilities before the shooting ranges, finishing with commendable skiing times of 8th and 14th. The reality of their underwhelming placements was frustrating, especially with their home crowd cheering them on.
Lou Jeanmonnot, who came with high expectations for the event, shared her own battle with pressure. "I couldn't explain, feeling heavy with pressure. I was too scared to hear the crowd’s ‘Ohhhh’ when I missed. I was just trying to do my best," she explained, emphasizing the emotional toll such competitions can take. Jeanmonnot had hoped to improve her standings following recent performances but ended up grappling with the same pressures she felt during prior races, such as at Hochfilzen.
Across the completion of this sprint race, laughter and disappointment intertwined around the shooting range as fans and coaches alike displayed mixed emotions. Coaches, including Jean-Pierre Amat and Patrick Favre, were seen attempting to uplift spirits, encouraging their athletes even after mistakes. Favre, watching Braisaz-Bouchet, was particularly optimistic, stating, "She’s capable of winning the race," as his focus shifted between managing emotions and offering tactical advice.
The sprint race was won by Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, who pushed through the nerves and even managed to overcome her own small setbacks to claim victory. Unlike Michelon and Jeanmonnot, who succumbed to both internal and external pressures, Braisaz-Bouchet maintained her calm. Her performance served as both inspiration and juxtaposition to the struggles of her teammates. Post-race, she demonstrated poise, reflecting on the race and acknowledging the challenges her fellow athletes faced.
This sprint served as not just another competition but as a formative experience for both Michelon and Jeanmonnot, who remained resolute, vowing to work on managing the emotional rollercoaster influenced by home expectations. "I know I can do it," Michelon reiterated, determined to turn lessons learned this week at Grand-Bornand to her advantage moving forward. With upcoming events, they will carry the burden and pride of competing at home, where both the stakes and support run high.
The highs and lows of the Grand-Bornand sprint race echoed the bittersweet nature of professional sports—there are moments of brilliance but equally moments of challenges. For Michelon and Jeanmonnot, this race might have ended on a note of disappointment, but the skills learned and the resolve to improve signal promising tomorrows within the competitive biathlon circuit.
