Through decrees published this Thursday in the Official Journal, all French athletes who won medals at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games have been decorated. They are now expected at the Elysée Palace.
It is a tradition after the Winter or Summer Games. As the events in Milan-Cortina ended more than a month ago, all French athletes who won a medal have been decorated. This morning’s Official Journal includes three decrees “promoting and nominating exceptional titles” for the Legion of Honor and the National Order of Merit. Four years after being knighted following two Olympic titles in Beijing, Quentin Fillon Maillet has been promoted. Champion in the sprint, mixed relay, and men’s relay in Antholz-Anterselva, the native of Champagnole has been made an officer of the Legion of Honor.
Cécile Hernandez, on the other hand, follows in the footsteps of Teddy Riner. Winning the Paralympic champion in snowboard cross for the second consecutive time, the native of Perpignan has been made a commander of the National Order of Merit, having been promoted to officer in March 2022. This grade is now held by Arthur Bauchet, a Paralympic gold medalist in super-combined and giant slalom as well as silver in the downhill, and Guillaume Cizeron. Her ice partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry has been made a knight of the Legion of Honor, like all other Olympic and Paralympic champions, including Thibault Anselmet and Emily Harrop for ski mountaineering.
In the biathlon, Camille Bened, Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin, Lou Jeanmonnot, Oc&eacut;ane Michelon, Eric Perrot, and Julia Simon have been decorated, along with Karl Tabouret for para cross-country skiing. As for silver and bronze medalists, they have been made knights of the National Order of Merit. This distinction has been granted to Loan Bozzolo, Léa Casta, Mathis Desloges, Victor Lovera, Aurélie Richard, Théo Schely, Jules Segers, and Romane Miradoli. These medalists are now expected on April 29 in the halls of the Elysée Palace to officially receive these decorations. This ceremony will echo the one held at the foot of the Arc de Triomphe at the end of the 2024 Paris Games.
