France upsets Norway to win the Olympic men's biathlon relay for the first time

ANTERSELVA, Italy (AP) — France came from last place to win the Olympic men’s biathlon relay for the first time on Tuesday by less than 10 seconds from stunned world and defending champion Norway.

Sweden hung on for the bronze, less than a minute ahead of Germany.

World Cup champion Eric Perrot was France's final leg skier. He missed two shots in his last standing shoot and was only seven seconds ahead of Norway's Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen as they headed out to the ski tracks packed with fresh snow.

After nearly 80 minutes, Perrot led his team of Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet across the line first, 9.8 seconds ahead of Christiansen.

The French avenged the 2022 Olympics finish outside Beijing where Christiansen shot clean and beat Fillon Maillet home by 28 seconds.

“It is so big for me, for the whole team,” Perrot said. “The French biathlon team has for so many years pushed really hard to win the relay gold medal, and today we represent all those guys who pushed hard for it. I am so proud to be a part of this team.”

Perrot and Fillon Maillet won Olympic gold in the mixed relay on Feb. 8 with Lou Jeanmonnot and Julia Simon. Perrot also won silver in the individual race; Fillon Maillet won gold in the sprint and Jacquelin won bronze in the pursuit.

Christiansen skied the fourth leg for the Norway team consisting of Martin Uldal, Johan-Olav Botn and Sturla Holm Laegreid. Christiansen and Laegreid were on the 2022 gold medal team in Beijing.

“Today our eyes were set on gold,” Laegreid said. “To get silver is almost like losing gold.”

Sebastian Samuelsson anchored Sweden's team of Viktor Brandt, Jesper Nelin and Martin Ponsiluoma. Samuelsson and Nelin were relay gold medalists in 2018 at Pyeongchang. Ponsiluoma won gold in the pursuit race on Sunday.

The United States was fifth, 2 1/2 minutes off the pace.

The U.S. was 16th after Sean Doherty's first leg, Maxime Germain and Paul Schommer slowly pulled the team forward and Campbell Wright in the last leg brought them from 11th to fifth.

The U.S. has never won an Olympic medal in biathlon but Wright gave the team hope after winning silver medals in the sprint and pursuit at last year’s world championships.

“As a men’s team, we’ve struggled a bit at these Olympics,” Wright said. “I’ve managed to get away with a few good results but the other guys have caught the worst end of bad luck. I’m really happy we can get fifth as a team here and everyone can kind of get a win before the Games finish.”

Things didn't look promising for France at the start.

The team was 20th after the second shoot when Claude missed one target despite using three extra rounds and had to ski a penalty lap. He tagged off to Jacquelin, who moved the team up to fifth with only one miss out of 10 shots and then to first place by the time he tagged off to Fillon Maillet.

Sweden, Norway and France stayed together on the tracks and the range, taking turns at the front. But when Norway and Sweden missed one on the prone shoot on the last leg, Perrot shot clean and left in first place.

The women's relay is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

France's Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon Maillet, Emilien Jacquelin and Fabien Claude pose with the gold medal for the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Eric Perrot, of France, poses with his gold medal for the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Eric Perrot, of France, competes in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, of Norway, crosses the finish line for silver in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Eric Perrot, of France, reacts in the finish area after winning gold in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Eric Perrot, of France, skis to the finish line for gold in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Eric Perrot, of France, reaches up in the finish area after winning gold in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Sturla Holm Laegreid, of Norway, right, Martin Ponsiluoma, of Sweden, left, and Quentin Fillon Maillet, of France, compete in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

France's Eric Perrot, from left, Quentin Fillon Maillet, Emilien Jacquelin and Fabien Claude react after winning gold in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Eric Perrot, of France, reacts as he crosses the finish line to win gold in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Anterselva, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

PHOENIX (AP) — Lauren Betts had 16 points and made a huge block late, and UCLA withstood a late charge by Texas on Friday night for a 51-44 win to reach the women's NCAA Tournament national championship game for the first time.

Manhandled by eventual national champion UConn in their first Final Four a year ago, the Bruins (36-1) dominated their way to another national semifinal with the best season in program history.

A chance at a first national championship game appearance had to go through the only team to beat them this season.

Overpowered in the first meeting, the Bruins turned the bully tables on Texas (35-4), shutting down All-American Madison Booker while building a 13-point lead midway through the fourth quarter.

The Longhorns are one of the nation's best defensive teams and flexed their D during a 12-2 run that cut UCLA's lead to 47-44.

Betts swatted the Texas run to halt.

She blocked Booker's shot with 20 seconds left and Kiki Rice hit two free throws, sending coach Cori Close's crew into the title game.

The grinding win earns the Bruins a spot Sunday’s title game against South Carolina, the three-time national champions who ended reigning champion UConn’s undefeated season and left Huskies’ coach Geno Auriemma fuming.

So was Booker after a brutal finish to what was otherwise a stellar season. She hit her first shot, missed her next 17 and finished with six points on 3-of-23 shooting.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

UCLA head coach Cori Close motions towards the court during the first half of a women's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game between UCLA and Texas at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

UCLA center Lauren Betts (51) shoots against Texas during the first half of a women's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Texas head coach Vic Schaefer motions towards the court during the first half of a women's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) drives against Texas guard Bryanna Preston, left, during the first half of a women's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)