Biathlon-Fillon Maillet France's greatest Olympian after mass start bronze

ANTERSELVA, Italy, Feb 20 : Needing one more medal to stand alone as France's most decorated Olympian of all time in the final men's biathlon race at the Milano Cortina Games, Quentin Fillon Maillet saw his chance and took it with his usual mix of panache and punishing athleticism to claim the bronze in Friday's mass start. 

Undaunted by four misses on the shooting range, the 33-year-old trusted his skiing power to put him back into contention for the podium, and when he blazed past Germany's Philipp Horn on the last lap, the bronze medal - Fillon Maillet's ninth Olympic prize - was clearly headed to France. 

“Today it was a tough competition, but I felt super-fast on the skis, and it was necessary in order to take the bronze," he told reporters.

"I am so proud of myself because it’s my ninth medal, and so I’ve become the best athlete in the French team, winter or summer. And I had never thought I could beat this record.” 

French fencers Philippe Cattiau and Roger Ducret both picked up eight medals at Summer Games during the 1920s and 1930s, but almost a century later they have been eclipsed by the skiing sharpshooter, who dug deep on the last lap to snatch his final chance when it presented itself. 

“I may have become a little bit old in biathlon, but I have the experience, and I know my body pretty well. I got out (of the final range) a few seconds behind Philipp (Horn), and I told myself I could beat him," Fillon Maillet said.  

“I tried to ski as fast as I could to be back on his skis and then try to attack him, and that's what happened. I am sorry for Germany, but it was a very tough last loop.”

The sharpshooter said he may not be content with nine medals, either, leaving open the door for another appearance at the Games