France's biathlon team narrowly missed matching a Norwegian Olympic milestone, securing a gold and silver in the women's mass start at the Milano Cortina Games. The French team finished one medal shy of Norway's record of 14 medals at a single Games, set in 2022.
"It was an amazing Olympics here for the men's team, and for the women as well," said French coach Simon Fourcade. "For the men's team, we got a medal in each race. I didn't hope for so much, and living this adventure with this team is something amazing."
With standout performances from Julia Simon and Oceane Michelon for the women, and Quentin Fillon Maillet, Eric Perrot, and Emilien Jacquelin for the men, France achieved 13 medals. Norway secured 11 medals, with Sturla Holm Laegreid earning five. The intense competition between the two nations is set to continue into the next Olympic cycle, with France aiming to equal Norway's medal record.