After the retirement of Martin Fourcade, we hoped that biathlon would leave us off our skis for at least a decade. But it was nothing. Instead, Quentin Fillon-Maillet even took the opportunity to achieve a historic season.
Quentin Fillon-Maillet’s year is not to be shown in any biathlon school in France. From A to Z, Quentin wrongly overlooked the value that unites all French people; lose her. Guilty of a thunderous start to the season, the native of Champagnole went to the Olympics with the maximum of confidence. However, Fillon-Maillet was quickly overtaken by the 2018 Games during which he had shone; 29th in the mass start, 48th in the sprint and 44th in the pursuit. Absolutely perfect games.
But once he arrived in Beijing, we have the impression that Quentin betrays his masterpiece of 2018. From the first day, the Frenchman begins his harvest with the mixed relay. A “simple” silver medal, of course, but which will cause a rush of charms. Three days later, tragedy strikes. Fillon-Maillet disputes the test of the individual, and offers us a cruel scenario. From the start of the race, QFM commits two faults behind the rifle. When we think the Frenchman’s race is over, he gives us a clear round on his last shot. When its competitors collapse on this same launch pad.
QFM wins the race, 30 seconds ahead of Johannes Boe. Just to set the scene for the sequel. But Quentin’s insult does not stop there; with this coronation, he also offers the first French gold medal in these Olympics. La double humiliation.
Fillon-Maillet, the collector of medals
We don’t even have time to feel sorry for ourselves when Fillon-Maillet decides to make it worse. During the sprint, however, QFM is not imperial on skis, feverish behind his rifle, but the native of Champagnole wins all the same the silver medal. We understand, this metal has the taste of the minimum price during these Games.
Quentin Fillon Maillet is ahead of France in the medal table.
— Swann Borsellino (@SwannBorsellino) February 12, 2022
Like any self-respecting biathlon fan, who says sprint means pursuit the next day. Fillon-Maillet starts 25 seconds behind Johannes Boe, but he takes advantage of the cowboy shots from the Norwegian to get back in front. Johannes Boe ends the race with 7 fouls on 20 shots. It’s not a rifle he has in his hands, but a Kalashnikov to spray like that.
Then comes the last lying shot, at mano-a-mano with Eduard Latypov. But Eduard doesn’t have silver hands, and wallows in his shot. QFM picks up his second gold medal.
In history, a Frenchman had never won 4 medals at the same Winter Olympics. But make no mistake, Quentin’s real achievement is elsewhere; he manages to air-condition us with artificial snow.
We’re like Quentin there.
Alone in the world.
– Fed ???????? of the Lose (@FFLose) February 13, 2022
There is nothing worse than hope. pic.twitter.com/bRh0przNsm
– Fed ???????? of the Lose (@FFLose) February 13, 2022
Unsurprisingly, Quentin is aligned with the men’s relay. And we will have to wait for the relay to see him become human once more. While he is neck and neck with the Norwegian Christiansen, QFM draws twice. Silver medal around the neck, the 5th in these Games. Deserved to be in our Blacklist.
QFM rafraîchit la pauvre FFL
After an Olympic Games far too successful for our palate, Quentin has one last goal in mind; win the big crystal globe. Over the past three years, Fillon-Maillet has finished 3rd in the World Cup standings each time. But this series will crumble before our eyes. Winner of 8 events during this World Cup, QFM finished 1st in the standings with nearly 250 points ahead of the second, Sturla Lægreid. Worse, the French pocketed at the same time 2 small crystal globes: the sprint and the pursuit. Fillon-Maillet aimed to play with the FFL, and unfortunately for us, he was as precise in this project as when facing a shooting range.
At the end of a year of all records, QFM also has the privilege of winning the only charm it lacked: the Legion of Honor. We obviously do not have the same definition of the term honor.
The Legion of Honor for Justine Braisaz and Quentin Fillon Maillet
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During a ceremony held Tuesday at the Elysée, President Emmanuel Macron decorated all the Olympic and Paralympic medalists…https://t.co/IO4Im3VRAl pic.twitter.com/2REkLICWat— Ski Biathlon Sports Info (@SkiNordique_net) March 30, 2022
But the high point of Quentin’s season comes on July 2, when he finally receives an honor worthy of the name; the medal of the city of Saint-Laurent-en-Grandvaux. The real coronation as each of us knows.
The reasons for our choice
The +
- 5 medals in a single Olympiad. It’s simple, no French sportsman had ever achieved such infamy. not even a certain MF
- Since 2018, and a certain Martin Fourcade, no French biathlete had dared to win the big crystal globe. None.
The –
- QFM showed fair play with its opponents by leaving them a few small crystal globes.
- We cannot forget this life-saving failure in the men’s relay which (perhaps) cost the French Olympic gold.
