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Gold medallist France's Julia Simon poses on the podium of the Women's Biathlon 15km Individual event at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Hendrik Schmidt/dpa
Julia Simon got her second biathlon gold medal at the Milan/Cortina Olympics in a French one-two ahead of Lou Jeanmonnot in the 15 kilometres event on Wednesday.
Simon, who started the season a little late after serving a ban following a French court conviction for credit card fraud, got gold again after anchoring the French mixed relay to first place on Sunday.
The reigning world champion could afford one missed target as she won 53.1 seconds ahead of World Cup leader and mixed relay partner Jeanmonnot, who had two missed targets.
"I knew after the mistake that I had to shoot clean and to enjoy the Olympic Games because they are your dream. I was very focused on myself," Simon told German broadcaster ARD.
Unheralded Bulgarian Lora Hristova, who is 73rd in the World Cup and whose best result there is 13th place, was rewarded for clean shooting with a surprise bronze.
"I am very proud, because I know that I'm capable of shooting clean. I know I'm capable of skiing better than the last races," she said.
"This is a big step for Bulgaria, for Bulgarian life, and I hope that I will inspire a lot of involvement in Bulgaria."
Retirement-bound German World Cup champion Franziska Preuss lost her podium chances when she missed two targets in the final shooting and faded to 10th.
In the women's 15km and men's 20km there are no penalty laps but a minute added to the skiing time for each missed target.
Simon could afford her missed target as a fast skier en route to the second gold.
She was at the centre of controversy last year and admitted to a French court in October that she had used stolen credit card details belonging to team-mate Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and a team physiotherapist to buy goods online.
She received a suspended three-month prison sentence after which her season was in doubt. But the 29-year-old received a sporting ban of which most was suspended and she started the season in mid-December.
"I came here with a lot of confidence, I don't know why. I wanted to live my dream one more time, maybe the last time, I don't know," she said.
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France's Julia Simon reacts after the finish line in the Women's Biathlon 15km Individual event at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Hendrik Schmidt/dpa
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