New ribbon in the biathlon family: Justine Braisaz-Bouchet announces pregnancy

A new ribbon will be hung on the doors of the biathlon family next winter, as Olympic mass start gold medalist Justine Braisaz-Bouchet has just announced on social media that she is expecting her first child. The 26-year-old who closed the past season with a majestic win in the mass start of Oslo-Holmenkollen, which gave her the first crystal globe of her career, will not defend that trophy in the coming winter.

The announcement came on the eve of the Martin Fourcade Nordic Festival, where she was announced to take part. Obviously, the news changed the plans, but in Annecy she still joined with fans and will sit down with us for an interview that you will read in the coming weeks.

"I kept the Secret"

Braisaz-Bouchet admitted she was holding back, competing at Blink and training with the French team, “I kept the secret, actually until today. I just wanted to wait, to enjoy the time with family. I trained a bit until now, but now will rest and enjoy the pregnancy. I will train at my leisure and enjoy my family. It will be a different year.”

As for announcing her pregnancy on Instagram, she added, “The organizers here (at the Martin Fourcade Nordic Festival), asked if I wanted to take the microphone and announce it to the audience. I said, ‘no, no, I will put it on Instagram! It would be very hard for me to stand in front of all those people and say, “I am pregnant.”

We wish Justine and her husband all the best for this exciting new adventure. But as the French-woman said, we will see her again at the range in a year's time.

Photos: IBU/Christian Manzoni, Jerry Kokesh

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