Double Olympic champion Quentin Fillon Maillet almost gave up the bronze medal for France at the start of the Biathlon World Championships in Oberhof through a curious faux pas.
The 30-year-old missed the target corridor shortly before the end and simply ran past it to the left. Fillon Maillet noticed his mistake in the mixed relay himself, but had to turn around, run back and turn onto the home straight from the outside.
Simon Eder hurried up there. Fillion Maillet was just 3.3 seconds ahead of the fourth-placed Austrian, but saved bronze in Norway’s win. Germany took sixth place.
“That’s clearly my mistake. Luckily it was enough,” said Fillon Maillet and thanked his team-mates for their good work.
“It’s great to start like this,” said the two-time world champion after the almost botched start at the Rennsteig.