Quentin Fillon Maillet is one of those rare athletes who focuses on the big moments when medals are on the line, like at Milano Cortina, and walks away with multiple additions to his collection.

Nine Olympic medals

Before the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, Fillon Maillet only had 2 individual podiums on the season, both at Oestersund in the opening week.

Yet when those Games ended, he owned another individual Olympic Gold medal plus three additional medals, upping his lifetime total to a French record nine Olympic medals. Additional proof of his medal-winning skills? 20 IBU World Championship medals over nine seasons!

“Six chances to be Olympic Champion”

Months after leaving Antholz as the Olympic Sprint Champion, he admitted little surprise at winning another Gold medal. “I did not imagine anything specific. (confidently predicting last November he would win another Gold medal). I just knew that I would be at my highest level at the Olympics.

"I had six chances to be Olympic Champion and tried in each competition to be at my top level. It is something special to be Olympic Champion in the Sprint. In the Sprint, you are alone, two shooting stages and every second counts.”

“No one told me there was a limit”

However, the thought of winning nine Olympic medals catches Fillon Maillet off guard, evoking a big smile. “Yeah, it is hard to believe. When I was a kid thinking about being Olympic Champion one time, I thought one would make my whole career a success. But nine medals and five Gold is impressive.

"Back then, I was just dreaming to be the best biathlete in the world; no one told me there was a limit. My parents and people in my town do not dream so big, but my home coach did. He urged me to have a goal each day and month, each season got bigger. I never stopped progressing and here I am. It is hard to explain and imagine this happened.”

“Being a father changes my perspective”

The birth of his first child, daughter Léana in August, changed Fillon Maillet’s approach to biathlon but not his focus. “This baby helped me see biathlon in another way. After Pyeonchang, my girlfriend was fighting cancer as was my stepfather. It was a very hard time for me. I realised sports were a big part of me, but not everything, not the most important thing. The baby gives me the same feeling. I want to stay grounded; if I lose a race, it is not the end. I want to win, but cannot win every race. Being a father changes my perspective.”

Improve on Shooting Range

He is thrilled to have Siegfried Mazet back with the team on the shooting range. “I was sad when he left, especially to go to Norway! It was a great moment when Siegfried came back because he offers a different perspective than Jean-Pierre Amat or Franck Badiou who are both very technical oriented. It was great and we learned a lot. At this moment in my career, I do not need technical, I need support through talking and explaining.”

“For me, the key to more success is improving my shooting. Last season was around 84% and I would like to get to 90%. That is my big goal. I am good with the physical part; I continue to improve there, but my big goal is to improve on the shooting range.”

“I love sports, competition and especially winning!”

Fillon Maillet’s long term goals are clear, specifically French Alps 2030 and more medals.

“I like to collect these medals. I was at the Paris Olympics in 2024, supporting the French athletes. I cannot imagine what it was like for the French athletes to win there; it was incredible. I felt all of this emotion. It gave me the power to get to Milano Cortina and a lot of motivation to be at the French Alps 2030.

"The chance to compete in the Olympics in your home country is incredible. As long as I continue, it is not just for those four weeks of competition but for everything between then and now. I love training, I love sports, competition and especially winning!”

Photos: IBU/ Vianney Thibaut, Ola Wizor, Nordic Focus/Authamayou