Oceane Michelon Wins Women's Biathlon Mass Start Gold for France
France shines in biathlon with Michelon's gold and Simon's silver in mass start. Oceane Michelon storms to gold in women's biathlon mass start at Winter Games.
“We're going to have Oceane Michelon for years to come...”
Oceane Michelon of France made a stunning comeback in the last lap to claim the gold medal in the women's biathlon mass start at the Winter Games on Saturday. Her compatriot Julia Simon took the silver medal, while Tereza Vobornikova of the Czech Republic secured a well-deserved bronze.
The final biathlon event delivered an exhilarating ending, with Michelon showcasing exceptional skill and determination to overtake Vobornikova and claim the top spot. Simon's impressive performance earned her the silver medal, cementing France's strong presence in the sport.
Oceane Michelon, 23, looked stunned as she crossed the finish line, winning the women's biathlon mass start gold by 6.6 seconds. She powered through the last lap, overtaking Tereza Vobornikova and securing her second gold of the Games. “I'm finding it hard to understand,” Michelon told French TV. “It was a great race, it wasn't easy. We fought hard until the end, it was a really great battle.”
Michelon's victory marks a milestone in her career, making her France's fourth individual Olympic biathlon champion. Her teammate Julia Simon took silver, while Vobornikova settled for bronze.
Oceane Michelon's gold medal in the women's biathlon mass start is her second of the Games, following her victory in the mixed relay, and she's also won a silver in the sprint. This win showcases her potential to become a dominant force in biathlon.
The 30 biathletes competed in five laps of the 2.5-km course, with two prone and two standing shooting positions, and each miss resulted in a 150-metre penalty loop.
A light snow and blustery wind made the final biathlon race of the Games a thrilling test of nerve and skill. Some top names in the sport faced costly penalty loops due to misses on the range, allowing Tereza Vobornikova to take a surprise lead after the final shoot, with Sweden's Anna Magnusson close behind.
🇫🇷 France strikes again in Biathlon (Women’s 12.5km Mass Start):
— Milano Cortina 2026 (@milanocortina26) February 21, 2026
🥇 Océane Michelon
🥈 Julia Simon
The French Biathlon tally now stands at:
6x 🥇
4x 🥈
3x 🥉
Le biathlon parle français. 🇫🇷#MilanoCortina2026 #Olympics #Biathlon https://t.co/kCVh7UQxAf pic.twitter.com/4PaftGH7Fs
The conditions proved to be great levellers, with several favourites struggling to maintain their position. Vobornikova's unexpected lead set the stage for an exciting finish, ultimately won by Oceane Michelon of France.
Oceane Michelon and Julia Simon's impressive performance in the women's biathlon mass start event secured the top two positions, with Michelon claiming gold and Simon taking silver. This achievement contributed to France's impressive tally of 13 biathlon medals at the Olympics.
Silver medallist Julia Simon praised Michelon's skills, saying, “Oceane is someone who comes across as very fresh, with the desire to be the best biathlete in the world. She arrives without any complexes, she kicks our backsides a little and it's deserved.”
Incroyable Oceane! ✨ Oceane Michelon 🇫🇷 takes her first Olympic gold medal at only 23 years old🥇 Congratulations 🎉
— International Biathlon Union (@biathlonworld) February 21, 2026
📸: nordicfocus | #biathlon #biathlonfamily #olympics #wintersports #milanocortina2026 pic.twitter.com/n8RZ8f3O10
“We're going to have Oceane Michelon for years to come. I think she has a very bright future ahead of her.”
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