Julia Simon wins the Biathlon World Cup

French women’s biathlon team coach Cyril Bourde warned: “The whole challenge of the weekend is to stay on the same course despite all the pressure. » And what was only a matter of time, as her lead over her rivals grew race after race, is now over: at the age of 26, Julia Simon will win her first Crystal Globe at the end of the season that ends this Sunday in Oslo. By completing 5^e Ahead of the Oslo-Holmenkollen pursuit and direct rivals on Saturday 18 March, the Frenchwoman is guaranteed the overall World Championship winner even before the final race of the year on Sunday.

“It’s hard for me to understand,” explained Julia Simon at the end of her race team channel. This is the culmination of four or five years of work, this is a dream. There were ups and downs, I didn’t feel up to it, but I learned to listen to myself and my body. » The sprint race of the day was won by Germany’s Denis Herrmann-Wick, with France’s Chloé Chevalier finishing 4th in the shootout thanks to 10/10.

If 2022 was the year of her compatriot Quentin Fillon Maillet, who adorned himself with crystal after winning five medals at the Beijing Winter Olympics, 2023 will be Julia Simon’s. From the third race of the calendar, the Frenchman set the tone by winning the pursuit of Kontiolahti (Finland), shooting 20/20. Then, on December 8, just one week into the season, he took the yellow leader thanks to third place in the sprint at Bibi Hochfilzen (Austria). “It’s coming to me a little bit, it wasn’t my main goal” He gave up after a few days at RMC Sport and took the situation with a simple vision “experience” for years to come. The shirt has since left his shoulders.

“I’m so happy for him and that the big globe is coming home. Sandrine Baillie, the last French woman to win it in 2005, rejoices. What impressed me the most was his consistency. » Of the twenty-one individual World Cup races of the season, Julia Simon only finished three times from the top 10. On imperial skis and behind a decisive gun, Savoyard also climbed ten times On the podium, for three victories (two in the pursuit and one in the mass start). In addition to the large crystal globe that rewards his victory in the general classification, Simon also took the small chase on the globe and is at the top of the mass start classification with just one race to go. “Throughout the year, the key word was a complete race every time, Cyril Bourde explains. That’s how you get the final result. »

93% success in prone shooting

A blessing that is also – and above all – the fruit of her progress in prone shooting: 93% of targets have been cleared this winter, the French woman has a higher success rate of 9 points and 21 points compared to 2022 and 2021.

Called back in February 2020 to once again take on the role of shooting coach of the French women’s national team, Jean-Paul Giacchino recalls: “I told him that it was a two-year job, and he replied that it was not two years. So I said, “Goodbye, I can’t help you if you’re not willing to be patient.” »

Therefore, in the spring of 2020, the biathlete from Les Saisies (Savoie) began to re-learn the basics of the prone throw, more technical than the standing throw, which he had already mastered. ” there are three stages Coach in detail. Breathing, called target entry, aiming, consisting of locking and releasing the target, corresponding to the pressure of the fingers on the trigger. »

Under the precise instructions, Julia Simon won her first individual world title at the World Championships in Oberhof, Germany, in February. Just over a minute from the sprint at the head of the 10 ᵉ race, the Frenchwoman made a crazy comeback, well aided by her efficiency behind the rifle (19/20), to take the gold in the pursuit (racers starting delays were recorded in relation to the winner at the finish of the sprint race). “It’s a big achievement, I’ve really taken a step forward in managing my emotions, He reacted to the microphone of La Chaîne L’Equipe. It was a childhood dream. »

“I wanted to be a champion since I was 3 years old”

Born in Albertville, the host city of the 1992 Winter Olympics, Julia Simon grew up in the Olympic resort of Les Saisies, where her father was a trekker. It is enough that he dreams of becoming a high-level athlete from an early age. “I think I always wanted to. I wanted to become a champion since I was 3 years old »confides, on the website of the 2022 French Olympic team, who also has a CAP in carpentry and works with wood whenever he has free time.

If Julia Simon describes herself as a person “quite shy”Blues employees hire him as an athlete “Extremely Motivated”, “easy exercise” and “Thoughtful about his performance.” “He’s really matured in his career and he reflects on all of his past experiences, good and bad.”Cyril Bourde summarizes.

Like Quentin Fillon Maile last year, Savoiere suddenly moved from the shadows to the light, finishing twelfth in the general classification for the 2022 World Cup. Like he had before, he had to look to his fellows to shine and pass the time. .

Jean-Paul Giacchino also tells this anecdote: “ Last year he was by my side when Justine [Braisaz-Bouchet] He won the long-awaited Oslo mass start [la dernière épreuve de la saison, le 20 mars 2022] and won a small specialty globe. He told me, “He made my dreams come true.” I simply replied, “Patience. It will happen.” » Barely a year later, the award is definitely in for Julia Simon.