This is her first victory since returning to competition, after becoming a mother. French biathlete Justine Braisaz-Bouchet won the sprint in the third stage of the World Cup on Thursday, December 14, in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. She thus signs her 6th individual victory in the World Cup, but the first in this 7.5 kilometer event.
The 27-year-old young woman, crowned Olympic champion in the mass start in Beijing in 2022, was well ahead of Norwegian Ingrid Tandrevold, 2nd, by more than 12 seconds. In the lead from the first intermediate, Braisaz-Bouchet left his opponents no chance, with a perfect passage to the rifle (10/10). The Italian Lisa Vittozzi finished 3rd. Another Frenchwoman, Julia Simon, ranks 4th.
“What has changed the most in a year and a half? The state of mind when shooting, I feel peaceful, more serene and more detached, declared the winner of the day on the microphone of the L’Equipe channel. I think it enhances my technique. I’m really enjoying myself. It’s still hard, but it was intense. »
In 6th place overall
Justine Braisaz-Bouchet was on the podium in an individual event for the first time since her return to competition after the birth of her daughter in February, with a 3rd place on December 8 during the sprint in Hochfilzen, Austria .
Since the start of the season, she has also finished 3rd in the women’s relay in Hochfilzen with Gilonne Guigonnat, Lou Jeanmonnot and Julia Simon and won the mixed relay in Östersund (Sweden) with the French team.
At the end of this sixth individual event out of twenty-one, she moved up to 6th place in the general World Cup rankings, with 247 points. Ingrid Tandrevold, still in the lead (346 points), is ahead of Lisa Vittozzi (309) and the Swede Elvira Oeberg (273), who came 5th on Thursday.
