The 2026 Olympics became a big medal party for France’s team. With the exception of Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, who experienced a sporting debacle in Antholz. She spoke about it for the first time after the singles in Kontiolahti.
The sporting setbacks at the 2026 Olympic Games have not left Justine Braisaz-Bouchet unscathed. The 29-year-old was eliminated from both relays and only finished 27th (mass start), 62nd (sprint) and 80th (individual) in her three starts, while her teammates won a total of eight medals.
“Mentally it was a big blow because I had high expectations,” she said on Thursday after the individual in Kontiolahti in the “L’Équipe” interview with a view to the Olympics. The Beijing Olympic champion admitted that it was also “tough” from a sporting perspective.
Braisaz-Bouchet must “keep believing in myself”
Now she has no choice but to look forward. “Ups and downs are a part of a career, especially in our sport.” She is now clinging to the things that still motivate her and “everything I love about this sport. I have to be patient, conserve my energy and continue to believe in myself,” said the Frenchwoman.
Things didn’t go really well for Braisaz-Bouchet in the first race after the Olympics either. Once again she was strong on the trails, but once again she left too much on the shooting range. After six penalty minutes, we were only able to finish in 75th place. She was 6:41 minutes behind the victorious Elvira Öberg.
Despite her mixed season, the Frenchwoman is again one of the top ten biathletes in the world this winter. She is currently in ninth place in the overall World Cup with 478 points. In the Kontiolahti individual she even had the chance to win the crystal ball for the discipline ranking. But like so many things this winter, she missed it on the mat.
