Julia Simon won her third gold medal this Sunday at the 2024 Biathlon Worlds in the Czech Republic. After the mixed relay and the sprint, the Frenchwoman, title holder, was crowned in the pursuit ahead of the Italian Lisa Vittozzi. Justine Braisaz-Bouchet finished in third place.
With this fifth world gold medal, Julia Simon, 27, joins her elder Marie Dorin-Humbert in the number of world titles. She can now try to pass in front of her predecessor during the rest of these Worlds to get closer to Raphaël Poirée’s eight world titles and Martin Fourcade’s 13. The individual on Tuesday, the relays on Friday and Saturday, and the mass start on Sunday will provide all opportunities to further expand his record, which has largely been tinged with gold since the start of the Czech Worlds.
Sophie Chauveau still at the foot of the podium
Two other French women placed among the first four, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, third, and Sophie Chauveau, fourth, two days after the historic feat of Les Bleues who had achieved a quadruplet during the sprint. Once again, Sophie Chauveau, 24, finished at the foot of the podium, like Friday, dropped in the last few hundred meters by Braisaz-Bouchet. Lou Jeanmonnot, third in the sprint, quickly lost ground after a shooting error from the start and took seventh place.
The top 10
1. Julia Simon (FRA) 29:54.8 (1 penalty lap)
2. Lisa Vittozzi (ITA) at 46.3 (1)
3. Justine Braisaz-Bouchet (FRA) 49.3 (4)
4. Sophie Chauveau (FRA) 57.6 (3)
5. Hanna Oeberg (SWE) 1:16.6 (2)
6. Franziska Preuss (GER) 1:24.7 (1)
7. Lou Jeanmonnot-Laurent (FRA) 1:43.0 (2)
8. Elvira Oeberg (SWE) 2:05.3 (2)
9. Marketa Davidova (CZE) 2:21.0 (2)
10. Tuuli Tomingas (EST) 2:30.3 (2)