Anais Chevalier-Bouchet keeping it all in perspective

Parenthood has brought fresh perspective to Anais Chevalier-Bouchet as she targets her first individual medal at Beijing 2022.

The 28-year-old gave birth to daughter Emie in October 2019 with husband Martin Bouchet, an international cross-country skier and biathlete.

She returned to training with the France national team in June 2020 and competed at the World Cup season opener in Kontiolahti, Finland, in November.

Chevalier-Bouchet was ninth in the women's individual and 12th in the 7.5km sprint little over a year after she became a mother.

Now she will compete in her third Olympic Winter Games having made her debut at Sochi 2014 where she was the second-youngest female French Olympic biathlete in history.

At PyeongChang 2018, she was the lead-off for the French team which took bronze in the women's 4x6km relay behind Belarus and Sweden.

Her best individual Olympic result is 16th in the PyeongChang women's individual sprint, but expectations are high this time round after her sprint silver and pursuit bronze at last year's World Championships in Pokljuka, Slovenia.

The Frenchwoman has already had six podium finishes - including two victories in the women's relay - at the 2021/22 World Cup and lies ninth overall.

Her form suggests she can make the step on to the Olympic rostrum at Zhangjiakou but, since Emie's arrival, that is no longer the be all and end all.

She told Olympics.com being a mother "gave me a lot of perspective".

"The Olympics is a goal I worked for and I want a medal. But if I go home without it, it won't be the failure of my life because I have something else at home.

Inspired by former teammate and learning lessons of childbirth

Chevalier-Bouchet has looked to follow the example of Marie Dorin-Habert won four medals across three Winter Olympics, including mixed relay gold in PyeongChang.

Dorin-Habert became a mother in 2014 before returning to claim five world titles and two Olympic medals.

PyeongChang turned out to be her swansong, and she has become an inspiration to her former relay teammate.

Having competed in biathlon since she was 13, Chevalier-Bouchet had trouble accepting the changes her body went through during pregnancy.

"I lost a lot of muscle, it was pretty amazing, […] I no longer had a sports body," she added:

“When you're athletic, you're really aware of your body [...] and I think you're always in control of what you're doing and there, in the end, things escape us a little."

But she says she has benefited from childbirth, feeling able to recall the pain she experienced as something she can apply to sport.

"I learned in every way. Mostly, at the level of pain. When you play sports, you hurt yourself, but it's actually OK,” she said. “It opened my eyes to this: a lot of things are mental and the body can handle a lot more than you think."

The road back to fitness following childbirth is a gradual one, built on progressive exercise.

Chevalier-Bouchet absorbed the words of the midwives about the perineum - a region in the pelvis which can weaken - and the abdominal muscles.

"I had a back injury and I had already had to build up my muscles once and for all, all those deep muscles," she said.

"You really have to feel that perineum, remuscle it, feel the different layers. I did a lot of breathing exercises. You have to be aware of contracting in one place and not another.

“And after all the abdominal work, the deep, transverse, oblique muscles. Yes, it was a little long, but frankly, I think the body is still well done and it comes back quickly."

Now she has the podium in her sights at Beijing.

When to watch Anais Chevalier-Bouchet in competition at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022

Anais Chevalier-Bouchet will compete in a number of biathlon events at Beijing 2022, starting with the mixed relay on Saturday 5 February at 17:00 Beijing time (10:00 CET).

That represents a genuine medal chance for France with Chevalier-Bouchet going it alone in the Women's 15km individual on Monday 7 February, again at 17:00 Beijing time.

In all, she could take part in six races at the Games with the finale the Women's 12.5km Mass Start on Saturday 19 February.

MORE: How to watch biathlon at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022