France Earns its First 2022 Olympics Gold in Men's Biathlon 20km Individual

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France claimed its first gold medal in Beijing on Tuesday morning in the men’s biathlon 20km individual event.

Quentin Fillon Maillet secured the gold with his 48:47.4 time, defeating Belarus’ Anton Smolski by 14.8 seconds and Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Boe by 31.1 seconds.

France now has five medals at the 2022 Olympics. Like the United States, France’s first four medals were all silver.

Fillon Maillet, 29, is competing in his second Olympics after debuting in 2018. He’s already having much more success in Beijing, claiming a silver in the mixed relay before grabbing gold in the individual. The Frenchman did not compete in the individual event in 2018, and he did not medal in any of the three events he competed in.

Four Americans were scattered throughout the 92-athlete field. Jake Brown led the way in 28th, followed by Paul Schommer in 35th, Sean Doherty in 42nd and Leif Nordgren in 87th.

Team USA has still never medaled in any men’s or women’s Olympic biathlon event dating back to its modern inception in 1960.

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