It’s a great program that awaits us for this Friday the 18th. Three days before the end of the Games, the blue delegation could end on a day of apotheosis to beat its historic record of 15 medals. But we’re not there yet.
Quentin Fillon Maillet wants a sixth
After the silver in the relay on Tuesday, Quentin Fillon Maillet is still in the running to achieve a unique feat: to become the first biathlete to win six medals at the same Winter Olympics. There is only one race left, this Friday’s mass-start (8 a.m.), for the Frenchman to achieve this. Already a five-time medalist in Beijing, the leader of the Blues is in superb form and seems fully capable of achieving his goal, if his shot does not stop.
Les Bleues du biathlon to end on a good note
The French missed their stint on Wednesday, finishing in a disappointing 6th place. They will want to finish their Games on a good note, on a mass-start where they will all have the potential to play for a medal (at 8am). Scheduled for Saturday, the race was finally brought forward due to weather conditions to Friday. Silver in the sprint and in the mixed relay, Anaïs Chevalier-Bouchet will notably aim for a third podium.
The ambitious French ski cross
The historic triple of the French in 2014, had marked the spirits. After missing out in 2018, the blue contingent once again has big ambitions for its ski cross event on Friday (from 4:45 a.m.). They will be four to start, some of whom have already shone this year in the World Cup: Terence Tchiknavorian, Francois Place, Bastien Midol and Jean-Frédéric Chapuis, gold medalist in Sochi.
Bobsledders make their debut
Their participation has long been threatened by a complaint from the Jamaicans, which was ultimately rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but Margot Boch and Carla Sénéchal will make their debut as a tandem at the Games, in the two-man event (at 1 p.m.) . First French representatives in history in this event, they will compete in their first two rounds this Friday, before the last two, decisive for a medal, on Saturday.
Gu for a second coronation
Omnipresent on all televisions in Beijing, where she is the huge star of these Winter Games, Eileen Gu wants to get her third Olympic medal this Friday. Already titled ahead of Tess Ledeux in the big air, silver on the slopestyle, the Chinese again dominated the halfpipe qualifications on Thursday and will be the big favorite for the final (from 2:30 a.m.).
The complete French program
Biathlon : Female mass-start with Anais Chevalier-Bouchet, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Anais Bescond and Julia Simon (at 8 a.m.).
Male mass-start with Quentin Fillon Maillet, Emilien Jacquelin, Simon Desthieux and Fabien Claude (at 10 a.m.).
Bobsleigh : Women’s two-man bobsleigh with Margot Boch and Carla Sénéchal (from 1 p.m.).
Ski freestyle : Skicross with Jean-Frédéric Chapuis, Bastien Midol, François Place and Térence Tchiknavorian (from 4:45 am).