Martin Fourcade facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Martin Fourcade

Martin Fourcade in 2017
Personal information
Nationality	French
Born	(1988-09-14) 14 September 1988 (age 36) Céret, France
Height	1.85 m
Website	martinfourcade.fr
Professional information
Sport	Biathlon
Club	EMHM Nordic 66
World Cup debut	13 March 2008
Retired	14 March 2020
Olympic Games
Teams	3 (2010, 2014, 2018)
Medals	7 (6 gold)
World Championships
Teams	10 (2009–2020)
Medals	28 (13 gold)
World Cup
Seasons	13 (2008 – 2020)
Individual races	283
All races	347
Individual victories	84
All victories	99
Individual podiums	150
All podiums	186
Overall titles	7 (2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18)
Discipline titles	26: 5 Individual (2012–13, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019-20); 8 Sprint (2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019-20); 8 Pursuit (2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18); 5 Mass start (2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18)
Medal record Representing  France Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 6 1 0 World Championships 13 10 5 Olympic Games Gold 2010 Vancouver 15 km mass start Gold 2014 Sochi 12.5 km pursuit Gold 2014 Sochi 20 km individual Gold 2018 Pyeongchang 12.5 km pursuit Gold 2018 Pyeongchang 15 km mass start Gold 2018 Pyeongchang Mixed relay Silver 2014 Sochi 15 km mass start World Championships Gold 2011 Khanty-Mansiysk 12.5 km pursuit Gold 2012 Ruhpolding 10 km sprint Gold 2012 Ruhpolding 12.5 km pursuit Gold 2012 Ruhpolding 15 km mass start Gold 2013 Nové Město 20 km individual Gold 2015 Kontiolahti 20 km individual Gold 2016 Oslo 10 km sprint Gold 2016 Oslo 12.5 km pursuit Gold 2016 Oslo 20 km individual Gold 2016 Oslo Mixed relay Gold 2017 Hochfilzen 12.5 km pursuit Gold 2020 Antholz 20 km individual Gold 2020 Antholz 4 × 7.5 km relay Silver 2011 Khanty-Mansiysk 10 km sprint Silver 2012 Ruhpolding 4 × 7.5 km relay Silver 2013 Nové Město 10 km sprint Silver 2013 Nové Město 12.5 km pursuit Silver 2013 Nové Město 4 × 7.5 km relay Silver 2013 Nové Město Mixed relay Silver 2015 Kontiolahti Mixed relay Silver 2016 Oslo 15 km mass start Silver 2017 Hochfilzen 4 × 7.5 km relay Silver 2017 Hochfilzen Mixed relay Bronze 2011 Khanty-Mansiysk Mixed relay Bronze 2015 Kontiolahti 4 × 7.5 km relay Bronze 2017 Hochfilzen 10 km sprint Bronze 2017 Hochfilzen 20 km individual Bronze 2020 Antholz 10 km sprint Youth World Championships Bronze 2007 Martell 3 × 7.5 km relay

Martin Fourcade (born September 14, 1988) is a famous French biathlete who has now retired. He is one of the most successful biathletes ever. He won six Olympic gold medals and thirteen World Championship titles.

Martin also won the Overall World Cup seven times in a row. This is a record! He is known as the most successful French Winter Olympian of all time.

He retired from the sport on March 14, 2020. Since April 2018, he has been the president of the Athletes' Commission for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. In February 2022, he was chosen to be a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the IOC Athletes' Commission.

Martin Fourcade's Biathlon Journey

This section talks about Martin Fourcade's amazing career. When we say "non-team" here, it means races where athletes compete by themselves, not as part of a team.

Starting His Biathlon Career

Martin Fourcade began biathlon in 2002. He followed in the footsteps of his older brother, Simon Fourcade, who was also a biathlete. Martin started competing internationally in 2006.

He took part in the Junior World Championships in 2007 and 2008. In 2007, he won a bronze medal in the relay race.

Martin first competed in the Biathlon World Cup in March 2008. The next season, 2008-09, was much better. He earned his first World Cup points and finished 24th overall.

First Wins and Olympic Gold (2009–2010)

Martin kept getting better in the 2009–10 season. He often finished in the top 10. He joined the French team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

At these Olympics, Martin won a gold medal in the mass start race. This was his first Olympic medal! After the Olympics, he won his first World Cup race in a pursuit event. He then won two more races in Oslo.

These wins helped him secure the 2009–10 Pursuit World Cup title. He finished 5th in the overall World Cup standings.

Martin Fourcade in Kontiolahti, Finland, in 2010.

First World Championship Title (2010–2011)

The 2010–11 season was also very successful for Martin. He started strong with two third-place finishes. He then won mass start races in Antholz and Fort Kent.

At the 2011 World Championships in Russia, he won a bronze medal with his team in the mixed relay. He then earned a silver medal in the sprint race. The next day, he won his first World Championship gold medal in the pursuit race.

Martin finished 3rd in the Overall World Cup that year.

Winning the Overall World Cup (2011–2012)

The 2011–12 season started perfectly for Martin. He won two races in Sweden and took the lead in the overall rankings.

In the Czech Republic, he finished third in a sprint race. His older brother Simon finished second. This was the first time two brothers stood on a biathlon World Cup podium together!

At the World Championships in Germany, Martin won three gold medals. He won the sprint, pursuit, and mass start races. This made him only the third male biathlete to win three individual gold medals at one World Championships.

Martin won the overall World Cup title for the first time this season. He also won the sprint and pursuit discipline titles.

Martin Fourcade in Kontiolahti, Finland, in 2012.

Dominating the World Cup (2012–2013)

Martin continued his success in the 2012–13 season. He won his first race in Sweden. He improved his shooting accuracy to 89%.

He won both the sprint and mass start races in Germany. At the World Championships in the Czech Republic, he won a gold medal in the individual race. He also earned two silver medals in other races.

Martin finished the season by winning many more races. He won his second overall World Cup title. He also won all of the discipline titles, which means he won every crystal globe that season.

Olympic Glory and More Titles (2013–2014)

Martin started the 2013–14 season with two wins in Sweden. He then won a pursuit race in Austria.

At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Martin had an amazing performance. He won his first Olympic gold medal in the pursuit race, moving from sixth to first place. He then won his second Olympic gold in the individual race. He also earned a silver medal in the mass start race.

Martin was the most successful male biathlete at the 2014 Winter Olympics. After the Olympics, he secured his third overall World Cup title. He also won the sprint, pursuit, and mass start crystal globes.

Martin Fourcade competing in Oberhof, Germany, in January 2014.

Fourth Overall World Cup Title (2014–2015)

Before the 2014–15 season, Martin had an illness that affected his training. Despite this, he won the sprint and pursuit races in Sweden.

He continued to win races, including the sprint and mass start in Oberhof, Germany. At the World Championships in Finland, he won his sixth World Championship gold medal in the individual race.

Martin finished the season by winning the overall World Cup title for the fourth time in a row. He also won the sprint and pursuit discipline titles.

A Clean Sweep of Titles (2015–2016)

Martin had a short try at cross-country skiing before the 2015–16 biathlon season. He then started the biathlon season strong, winning the sprint and pursuit races in Sweden.

He continued to dominate, winning races in Germany and Canada. At the 2016 World Championships in Oslo, Norway, he had incredible success. He won gold medals in the mixed relay, sprint, pursuit, and individual races.

These wins secured his fifth straight Overall World Cup title. He became the first biathlete to win the longest event (individual race) three times in a row at the World Championships. Martin won all five crystal globes that season, a record for a male biathlete.

Sixth Overall World Cup Title (2016–2017)

The 2016–17 season was another dominant year for Martin. He started by winning the mixed relay, individual, and sprint races in Sweden.

He continued his winning streak in Slovenia and the Czech Republic, winning all three competitions at each location. This made December his most successful month ever in biathlon.

At the World Championships in Austria, he won a gold medal in the pursuit race. He also earned silver medals in the mixed relay and men's relay, and two bronze medals in other races.

In South Korea, he won a pursuit race, which secured his record sixth overall World Cup title in a row. He also set a new record for the most individual race victories in one season with 14 wins. Martin won all five crystal globes for the third time, another record.

Martin Fourcade celebrating a victory in Östersund.

Olympic Glory and All-Time Record (2017–2018)

The 2017–18 season began well for Martin in Sweden. He won a pursuit race and continued to wear the yellow bib (given to the World Cup leader).

He had more podium finishes in Austria and France. In Germany, he won both the sprint and pursuit races. He then won the individual race in Ruhpolding, setting a new record for consecutive individual race podiums.

At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Martin was chosen to carry the French flag. He won a gold medal in the pursuit race, his third Olympic gold. He then won another gold in the mass start race in a very close finish. He also anchored the French team to a gold medal in the mixed relay.

These wins made Martin Fourcade the most successful French Winter Olympian of all time. He secured his seventh consecutive overall World Cup title, an all-time record. He also won all five crystal globes for a record fourth time.

Final Seasons (2018–2020)

In the 2018–19 season, Martin won two individual races. He continued to compete at a high level.

His final season, 2019–20, was also very strong. He won seven races, including two individual, two sprint, two pursuit, and one mass start. He won a gold medal in the individual race at the 2020 World Championships in Italy, and another gold in the men's relay.

Martin announced his retirement on March 13, 2020, after a remarkable career.

Amazing Achievements

Martin Fourcade holds many records in biathlon. Here are some of his biggest achievements:

World Cup Records

• He won the overall World Cup title 7 times, which is an all-time record.
• He won 7 overall World Cup titles in a row, also an all-time record.
• He has 26 discipline World Cup titles (winning specific types of races), an all-time record.
• He won all five crystal globes (all major titles) in one season 4 times, an all-time record.
• He has 79 individual World Cup victories, which is the second-highest ever.
• He had 14 individual World Cup victories in one season, the second-highest ever.
• He stood on the podium 144 times in individual World Cup races, the second-highest ever.

Olympic Games Records

• He won 6 gold medals and 1 silver medal. This is the second-highest number of biathlon Olympic gold medals.
• He won 4 individual gold medals and 2 individual silver medals.

World Championships Records

• He won 13 gold medals, placing him third all-time.
• He has 28 medals in total (13 gold, 10 silver, 5 bronze), placing him third all-time.
• He won 11 individual gold medals, an all-time record shared with another biathlon legend.
• He won at least one individual gold medal in 6 World Championships in a row, an all-time record.

Career Highlights

• He won at least one individual gold medal in 8 major championships (Olympics and World Championships) in a row, an all-time record across all ski sports.
• He achieved the "career Grand Slam" 4 times. This means winning an individual Olympic gold, an individual World Championship gold, the overall World Cup title, and all discipline World Cup titles. This is an all-time record.
• He had at least 7 individual race victories for 7 years in a row, an all-time record.
• He has 83 individual victories in World Cup and Olympic Games races combined, placing him third all-time.
• He has 98 total victories (including relays) in World Cup and Olympic Games races, placing him third all-time.

About Martin's Life

Martin Fourcade was born on September 14, 1988, in Céret, France. His parents are Gisèle and Marcel Fourcade.

He has an older brother named Simon, who was also a biathlete. He also has a younger brother named Brice.

Martin has two daughters with his partner, Hélène. Their names are Manon (born in 2015) and Inès (born in 2017). They live in La Llagonne, France.

Martin's Biathlon Results

All of Martin Fourcade's results come from the International Biathlon Union.

Olympic Games Medals

7 medals (6 gold, 1 silver)

Event	Individual	Sprint	Pursuit	Mass start	Relay	Mixed relay*
2010 Vancouver	14th	35th	34th	Gold	6th	N/A
2014 Sochi	Gold	6th	Gold	Silver	8th	6th
2018 Pyeongchang	5th	8th	Gold	Gold	5th	Gold

*The mixed relay became an Olympic event in 2014.

World Championships Medals

28 medals (13 gold, 10 silver, 5 bronze)

Event	Individual	Sprint	Pursuit	Mass start	Relay	Mixed relay	Single mixed relay
2009 Pyeongchang	13th	18th	8th	15th	4th	—	N/A
2010 Khanty-Mansiysk*	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	5th
2011 Khanty-Mansiysk	10th	Silver	Gold	10th	12th	Bronze
2012 Ruhpolding	25th	Gold	Gold	Gold	Silver	11th
2013 Nové Město	Gold	Silver	Silver	10th	Silver	Silver
2015 Kontiolahti	Gold	12th	7th	10th	Bronze	Silver
2016 Oslo Holmenkollen	Gold	Gold	Gold	Silver	9th	Gold
2017 Hochfilzen	Bronze	Bronze	Gold	5th	Silver	Silver
2019 Östersund	39th	6th	5th	24th	6th	8th	—
2020 Antholz-Anterselva	Gold	Bronze	4th	7th	Gold	7th	—

*During Olympic years, only events not in the Olympics are held at the World Championships.

**The single mixed relay was added as an event in 2019.

Junior/Youth World Championships Medals

1 medal (1 bronze)

Event	Individual	Sprint	Pursuit	Relay
2007 Martell-Val Martello	5th	9th	9th	Bronze
2008 Ruhpolding	8th	11th	10th	5th

World Cup Season Standings

Images for kids

• 

  Martin Fourcade in Kontiolahti, Finland, in 2010.

• 

  Martin Fourcade in Kontiolahti, Finland, in 2012.

• 

  Martin Fourcade competing in Oberhof, Germany, in January 2014.

• 

  Martin Fourcade celebrating a victory in Östersund.

See also

In Spanish: Martin Fourcade para niños

• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists