Éric Perrot became Olympic vice-champion in biathlon in the individual format (20 km) on Tuesday at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Games. The French biathlete finished around fifteen seconds behind the Norwegian Johan-Olav Botn, crowned Olympic champion for the first time.
Published on: 02/10/2026 - 4:18 p.m.
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Gold was reaching out to him, he was finally beaten by around fifteen seconds by the Norwegian Johan-Olav Botn. Frenchman Éric Perrot became Olympic vice-champion in individual biathlon over 20 km, Tuesday February 10, at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Games.
Author of only one fault (19/20) on his first standing shot, Éric Perrot skied faster than Johan-Olav Botn. But the Norwegian cleared his twenty targets, to maintain a 15-second lead over the Frenchman at the finish line. The podium is completed by another Norwegian Sturla Laegreid (19/20), who finishes 48 seconds behind.
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This is the second French biathlon medal at the high altitude site of Anterselva (1,600 m) in northern Italy, after gold in the mixed relay on Sunday. This is the third medal for the French delegation, adding the silver of Mathis Desloges in skiathlon.
Extremely fast on skis, Perrot was the first of the favorites to set off on the 4 km loop to be completed five times. Reigning world champion in the specialty, he only made one mistake which was fatal to him in his quest for gold, because Botn was very solid behind the rifle.
“A unique joy” and “also frustration”
"It's a mix of emotions between a unique joy of being on this Olympic podium, it's still magical. It's hard to savor right away, because I also have frustration, I want to win these races", reacted Perrot at the microphone of France Télévisions.
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This is his first individual medal at the Olympic Games, he who aims to seek gold solo, at only 24 years old, at the Anterselva site. He will have two other opportunities this weekend, with the sprint on Friday and the pursuit on Sunday, before a final possibility at the end of the Olympic fortnight during the mass start.
After clearing his 20th target (accompanied by a cry of joy in the press center from biathlon legend Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, eight-time Olympic champion and consultant for Norwegian public television), Botn was informed of his lead at the exit of the shooting range, which oscillated between 11 and 15 seconds on the track.
Author of a thunderous start to the season, Botn experienced the Sivert Bakken drama up close, since it was he who discovered the inanimate body of his teammate, during a training course just before Christmas in Italy. Ill in January, he had difficulty on the last stage of the World Cup in Nove Mesto.
With AFP
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