Biathlon: a magnificent start to the winter for Camille Bened
During the first leg of the biathlon world cup in Östersund (Sweden), Camille Bened from Chablais impressed the observers. Third in the opening mixed singles relay, then third again in the individual, she then finished thirteenth in the sprint before moving up brilliantly to fourth place in the pursuit.
The best French woman at the start of this Olympic winter thanks to her (almost) unbeatable shooting, the Haut-Savoyard is now third in the overall rankings on the morning of the sprint in Hochfilzen (Austria), scheduled for the afternoon under the Tyrolean sun.
“Last year, she won the overall at the IBU Cup and then came to the World Cup in Oslo-Holmenkollen, where she had three great races and was even in a position to be on the podium in the last shot of the pursuit. It’s a nice surprise, but I’d say it’s only half the story. We’ve seen her coming since last season,” Stéphane Bouthiaux, director of the French biathlon teams, told Nordic Magazine.
In top form from the selection rounds in Bessans in mid-November
She performed so well during the selections in Bessans that we could have expected very good results,” continues the Franc-Comtois. But to get her first individual podium and finish in fourth place, that’s something we couldn’t have imagined, I wouldn’t exaggerate! I’d say it was half a surprise in that respect.
After her fine performances in Sweden, Camille Bened is thinking bigger than she was just a few weeks ago.
It makes me want more and I realise that there are no limits,” she said last Sunday after the Östersund pursuit. I think I can still achieve great things. For the moment, I’m blossoming, but beware of overconfidence because we know that in biathlon you can be doing really well one day and then be at the bottom of the heap the next with your shooting. I’m enjoying it, but I’m still wary of what can happen.
- The full programme for the Hochfilzen World Cup, the second stage of the 2025/2026 season
- Caroline Colombo: my best memory of… Hochfilzen
- Östersund: Sweden win the mixed singles relay ahead of Norway, Fabien Claude and Camille Bened third for France
- “It’s important in a career”: Camille Bened takes her first World Cup relay podium finish in the mixed singles relay in Östersund
- “It’s wonderful to see her so happy and fulfilled”: former biathlete Chloé Bened reacts emotionally to her older sister Camille Bened’s first World Cup podium finish.
- Östersund: Dorothea Wierer triumphs in the individual event ahead of Sonja Leinamo and Camille Bened, who takes her first solo podium finish
- “It’s the fruit of a lot of hard work”: an emotional Camille Bened talks about her third place in the Östersund individual event
- Camille Bened as told by her first coach Martin Bouchet after her podium finish in Östersund: “She was already a great fighter who never gave up”.
- Östersund: Austria’s Lisa Theresa Hauser wins the pursuit ahead of Suvi Minkkinen, Camille Bened fourth with 20/20
- “I realise there are no limits”: fourth in the Östersund pursuit, Camille Bened wants more… without getting carried away
- Suvi Minkkinen and Johan-Olav Botn in yellow, Camille Bened and Quentin Fillon-Maillet third: all the overall World Cup rankings after the Östersund stage
