France Wins First Olympic Gold in Men's Biathlon Relay

After decades of coming close, France finally stood atop the Olympic podium in the men's biathlon relay, breaking through in spectacular fashion at Milano Cortina 2026.

The French quartet of Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin, Quentin Fillon-Maillet, and Eric Perrot finished in 1:19:55.2, holding off defending champion Norway by just 9.8 seconds. Sweden claimed bronze, earning their first relay medal since 2018.

The race didn't start smoothly for France. Claude missed three shots in the opening leg, forcing a penalty loop that dropped the team to 13th place, roughly 50 seconds behind Norway.

But Jacquelin sparked a remarkable comeback in the second leg. With just one missed shot across both shooting stages, he pulled France back into contention, transforming a distant hope into a genuine fight for gold.

Fillon-Maillet took over for the third leg and stayed composed through frantic exchanges at the shooting range. The 33-year-old, already a two-time gold medalist at these Games, missed only two shots and kept France in striking distance.

Anchor Eric Perrot, the current World Cup overall leader, blazed through his prone shooting stage with perfect accuracy. His flawless performance created crucial separation as competitors faltered at the range.

The final standing shoot nearly unraveled everything. Perrot missed twice, burning precious seconds while Norway's Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen shot clean and launched into pursuit mode.

The final lap became a breathtaking chase around the Antholz-Anterselva tracks. Christiansen closed the gap with every stride, but Perrot found something extra on the final climb, powering into the stadium to secure France's historic victory.

The Ripple Effect

This gold medal represents more than one race. It's France's 16th medal at Milano Cortina 2026, setting a new national record for most medals at a single Winter Olympics and cementing their status as a winter sports powerhouse.

For Fillon-Maillet, the victory added an eighth career Olympic medal to his collection, surpassing all previous French Winter Olympians. His journey from relay contributor to national record holder shows how persistence and teamwork create legendary moments.

The win also validates years of investment in French biathlon programs. What started as a 50-second deficit transformed into gold through trust, skill, and unwavering belief in each other.

France's first Olympic gold in the men's biathlon relay proves that breakthrough moments are worth the wait.