The Olympic biathlon competition is heating up in Antholz with France having great success. In the three events that have taken place to date, France has won four of the possible nine medals, including two gold medals.
MORE: 2026 Winter Olympics medal count, tracker entering February 11
Two of the gold medals have been won by Julia Simon of Albertville, France, the host city of the 1992 Olympic Winter Games. Albertville hosted the Olympic Winter Games four years before Simon was born.
Gold medals have been controversial
Simon had been in the spotlight recently for the wrong reasons. For many, it my be a bit surprising that Simon is even competing at all.
In October, according to the Associated Press, Simon was found guilty of theft and credit card fraud. She was accused of stealing the bank cards of fellow french biathlete Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and a French staff member, and making purchases worth more than $2700.
As a result, Simon was fined $17,450 for admitting the thefts during a hearing, given a three month suspended prison sentence, and suspended by the French Ski Federation, which prevented her from competing at a World Cup in Ostersund, Sweden at the end of November.
Simon’s gold medal in the Mixed Biathlon Relay
Simon teamed up with Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon Maillet and Lou Jeanmonnot to win the gold medal in the mixed team 4×6 km biathlon relay on Sunday. They had a time of 1:04:15.5, with Simon having a time of 17 minutes, 49.7 seconds.
Italy won the silver medal with a time of 1:04.41.3, and Germany won the bronze medal with a time of 1:05:20.8.
Simon’s gold medal in the Women’s Individual Biathlon
Simon had a winning time on Wednesday of 41:15.6 in the women’s 15 kilometre biathlon event. It was a 1-2 France finish as Jeanmonnot won the silver medal with a time of 42:08.7.
Bulgaria won their second medal of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Lora Hristova won the bronze medal with a time of 42:20.1.
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