Biathlon: Camille Bened’s Olympic dream begins to take shape
For Camille Bened, everything has accelerated in recent days. Up until then, the 25-year-old from Chablais had never been on the World Cup podium, a circuit she only discovered at the very end of last winter.
Between Sunday and Tuesday, however, she made her mark in Östersund (Sweden), finishing third in both the mixed singles relay – thanks to a remarkable finish on her part – and the individual event, with a score of 19/20 on the mats.
Camille Bened has thus entered a new dimension… which makes her a potential selection criterion for the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games.
The road to Antholz (Italy) next February is, however, (very) narrow since, as revealed in our columns, three places have already been reserved for Lou Jeanmonnot, Julia Simon and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet .
The road to the Olympics is full of pitfalls, but she has begun it in the best possible way
Behind them, while Jeanne Richard and Océane Michelon seem to have a head start thanks to their solid winter performances, one last ticket remains to be won.
Like all the girls, it’s a goal,” admitted Camille Bened on Tuesday evening during a videoconference attended by Nordic Magazine . To succeed in getting this selection, you have to do the work beforehand, and that starts right now. I think I’ve started the race.
An ideal start to the marathon for the biathlete from Chablais Nordic, who will need to continue to shine in her next outings. As a member of the best team in the world, this result alone will not necessarily be enough to earn her a pass bearing the Olympic rings.
Just ask Sophie Chauveau and Paula Botet, who were not lined up for the 2025 Worlds despite a podium finish and a World Cup victory respectively.
- The full programme for the Östersund World Cup, the first stage of the 2025/2026 season
- Caroline Colombo: my best memory of… Österusnd
- “When it performs, it creates momentum”: the relays on the opening weekend of the World Cup in Östersund, important events to get the French team on the right track
- Östersund: Jeanne Richard, Océane Michelon, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Lou Jeanmonnot dominate the women’s relay, the first race of the winter season
- “It’s a great team effort”: on their first outing of the winter in Östersund, Les Bleues have already won the World Cup
- Östersund: France’s Fabien Claude, Quentin Fillon-Maillet, Emilien Jacquelin and Eric Perrot second in the relay won by Norway
- “A good relay in tempo”: behind the Norwegians in the Östersund relay, the French get their winter off to a good start
- “There’s this desire to go for the greatest medal of all”: beaten by Norway in the first relay of the season, Les Bleus have their sights set on Olympic gold
- 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: Emilien Jacquelin, Eric Perrot, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Lou Jeanmonnot win the mixed relay for France
- Östersund World Cup: Corinne Niogret’s debrief (relays)
- 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: Johan-Olav Botn takes his first World Cup win by winning the individual, Eric Perrot best Frenchman
- “I’m in seventh heaven”: Johan-Olav Botn, who was ill at the start of the week, ran the perfect race in Östersund.
- “We’re where we should be”: a tricky first individual race for the French team, far from the podium in Östersund
