“I am stubborn and passionate,” that is how France’s perhaps biggest biathlon hope describes herself. The 27-year-old from Fourcatier, near the Swiss border, is not like everyone else.

With arms almost entirely covered in tattoos and a background that sets her apart from the rest of the French team, she has also managed to stay clear of the scandals that have affected the national squad over the past year.

Lou Jeanmonnot has steadily climbed the ranks of the biathlon elite. After starting shooting training in the attic of the town hall in Mouthe, and dabbling in both gymnastics and cycling, she won the IBU Junior Cup in 2018 and the IBU Cup in 2022 before stepping onto the sport’s biggest stage.

With excellent shooting and strong skiing speed, she has already won 15 individual World Cup races. This season, she leads not only the overall World Cup standings but also the distance, sprint, and mass start standings.

Last season, she was literally beaten on the finish line by Germany’s Franziska Preuss in the battle for the overall World Cup title. It was Jeanmonnot’s second overall second place in two years.

Now she makes her Olympic debut after winning World Championship bronze medals in both 2024 and 2025. She has four World Championship gold medals to her name, all from relay events.

Also Read – Olympics 2026: Complete biathlon guide to the mixed relay

An emotional athlete

She is called “Lou,” and Jeanmonnot is mainly used by TV commentators.

The 27-year-old is an emotional athlete, closely tied to her family, who watches most of her races live. With her tattoos covering her arms, she does not fit the traditional image of a biathlon star.

Some of the tattoos carry special meaning.

“I don’t really like talking about them, I prefer to remember the moment I got them, especially who was there with me. What I probably like most is that tattoos don’t need words. Maybe that’s why I don’t feel the need to explain them,” she said in a previous interview.

And as a French woman from the countryside, milk or sports drinks are not her answer when asked about her favorite beverage.

“It depends on the season and the moment. An Amaretto Sour on an April evening, or a Perrier Citron after a long summer training session.”

Started in an attic

The start of her career was anything but conventional. She began shooting training in the attic of the town hall in Mouthe, a village known as the coldest in France.

“It was cold, the atmosphere was very special, but it was fantastic. We met up there with our friends, and it was a former gendarme, Norbert – who sadly has passed away – who coached us. He taught us so much,” Jeanmonnot told France Bleu.

That she eventually chose biathlon, she attributes to fate. As a teenager, Lou had to make a choice.

“My first sport was gymnastics, baby gymnastics,” she told Biathlon World. “My mom saw that I wasn’t particularly good at gymnastics, so she took me to the local ski club. I also did mountain biking and competed in a few races. When I was 16, I had to choose between skiing and mountain biking, and I quit cycling – definitely the right choice.”

Youth Olympic champion

Her talent for biathlon quickly became clear. Lou Jeanmonnot won bronze at the Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer in 2016. Just one year later, she claimed gold at the Junior World Championships.

She now arrives at her first Winter Olympics with six World Cup victories already this season. Few believe she will leave Anterselva without a medal.

Some of her strength also comes from her best friend back home: her dog.

“It’s my best fan ever,” she says.

The high-altitude Olympic venue in Anterselva suits her perfectly. She has been on the podium in six of the nine World Cup races she has contested there. Last season, she won both the sprint and pursuit at the Olympic venue.

A clear warning to her rivals.

“I really like the venue, the place is fantastic,” she told Olympics.com.

“I like being there. Until now, I’ve always brought my ski touring skis, because you can head into the mountains to recover. Everything about the surroundings in Antholz–Anterselva is very pleasant.”

“I know my family comes every time, because it’s a place they really like as well. So, it’s not just the course profile that suits me, but also the landscape and the overall feeling of the place.”

Took part in Janteloppet

When she is not competing as one of the world’s best female biathletes, Lou Jeanmonnot is a very social person. She loves spending time with family and friends, going shopping, and being outdoors.

Few may know that she has taken part in Petter Northug’s Janteloppet in Norway. She is also often seen alpine skiing outside the season.

Every summer, her focus shifts toward the coming winter.

“I love running alone with my music. I’d also really like to climb more!”

Lou Jeanmonnot has also – almost uniquely within the senior national team – avoided involvement in the scandals that have shaken French women’s biathlon in recent years. The case involving Julia Simon and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, as well as equipment-related conflicts between Jeanne Richard and Océane Michelon, have dominated headlines for a long time.

But the headlines about Lou Jeanmonnot were about sporting success. The next ones will likely be about Olympic medals.

Biathlon schedule – Milano-Cortina 2026

Sunday, February 8: Mixed Relay (M+W) (More information can be found HERE)

• 14:05 CET: Mixed Relay, Men + Women

Tuesday, February 10: Men 20km Individual (More information can be found HERE)

• 13:30 CET: 20km Individual, Men

Wednesday, February 11: Women 15km Individual (More information can be found HERE)

• 14:15 CET: 15km Individual, Women

Friday, February 13: Men 10km Sprint (More information can be found HERE)

• 14:00 CET: 10km Sprint, Men

Saturday, February 14: Women 7.5km Sprint (More information can be found HERE)

• 14:45 CET: 7.5km Sprint, Women

Sunday, February 15: Men 12.5km Pursuit and Women 10km Pursuit (More information can be found HERE)

• 11:15 CET: 12.5km Pursuit, Men
• 14:45 CET: 10km Pursuit, Women

Tuesday, February 17: Men 4×7.5km Relay (More information can be found HERE)

• 14:30 CET: 4×7.5km Relay, Men

Wednesday, February 18: Women 4x6km Relay (More information can be found HERE)

• 14:45 CET: 4x6km Relay, Women

Friday, February 20: Men 15km Mass Start (More information can be found HERE)

• 14:15 CET: 15km Mass Start, Men

Saturday, February 21: Women 12.5km Mass Start (More information can be found HERE)

• 14:15 CET: 12.5km Mass Start, Women

Complete program for the Winter Olympic Games can be found HERE

Antholz-Anterselva promises breathtaking courses for athletes and spectacular viewing for fans. With every shot and ski stride counting, the biathletes will aim for the podium in every race, making the biathlon one of the most eagerly watched events of the 2026 Winter Games.

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