Simon Fourcade is a senior representative of the family dynasty of French biathletes. Having started biathlon in his youth, Simon trained hard, moving towards the highest achievements. And he managed to introduce his younger brother Martin to sports. The Fourcade brothers defended the honor of France more than once at the highest level starts.
From the biography of Simon Fourcade
The future biathlete was born on April 25, 1984. His homeland is the city of Perpignan, the administrative center of the French department of the East Pyrenees. When an athlete is asked about the dark color of his skin, he replies that his ancestors were Spaniards. Simon has two brothers: Martin and Brice. In recent years, Martin has been the leader of the world biathlon, which is rarely surpassed on the track. Simon's success in nordic combination is less impressive. Although he is confidently included in the elite of the world biathlon.
Simon started going in for sports in early childhood. He tried his hand at figure skating, judo, hockey, cycling, swimming. Once in the ski section, Fourcade could not imagine that later biathlon would firmly and permanently enter his life.
Carier start
The Frenchman made his first steps in his career in 1998. When Simon was 14 years old, his sports school mates went to the national championship. But he did not pass the selection. Having stayed at home, Fourcade made an important conclusion for himself: to achieve a serious result in sports, it takes much more effort than now. Simon moved to the town of Villars de Lens. This place is known not only for its chic ski resort, but also for its sports school, which employs experienced coaches.
Fourcade started training. He trained with maximum dedication, which earned the respect of the coaches. Soon the fame of the man who could become the successor of the famous Raphael Poiret was fixed for the novice biathlete. The younger brother Martin looked at Simon with respect and tried to be like him in everything.
In 2003, Simon successfully passed the selection and prepared for participation in the World Cup, which was held in Oslo. By this time, Fourcade had already more than once managed to earn gold and silver in youth competitions. The more eminent Martin Fourcade cannot boast of such an impressive career start.
Sports achievements of Simon Fourcade
Unfortunately, the elder Fourcade at first could not climb the top step of the podium in the competition of "adult" athletes. For the first time he took an honorable place on the podium among the best biathletes in the world in 2006. Then Simon took "bronze" in the mixed relay. A year later, on the Finnish track, Fourcade entered into his asset a silver medal in an individual race of honor for every shooting skier.
In 2007, Simon took part in the World Championship and confidently entered the top ten strongest biathletes. A year later, he was fourth twice, and the post took third place at the World Cup in South Korea.
2009 was also successful for Fourcade: he becomes the champion, but in the national team. The French biathlete has twice achieved success in the competitions in memory of Vitaly Fatyanov, which are traditionally held in Russia. Simon also distinguished himself at the start of the summer biathlon.
In the 2009/2010 season, the senior Fourcade managed for some time to climb to the very top of the World Cup standings. And then the path to the awards was temporarily blocked by a serious injury.
At the Vancouver Olympics, Martin Fourcade overtook Simon in his achievements. It even became a reason for a quarrel. Only a year and a half later, the older brother recognized the superiority of the young, but promising Martin.
Simon continued to fight for a place in the elite. In the 2011/2012 season, he won the "gold" in the relay, received five medals with a silver sheen and three bronze awards. At the end of the season, the athlete picked up the honorary Crystal Globe in the individual competition. In the overall standings, he took the fifth position.
Fourcade considers winter 2012/2013 to be his best achievement in his sports career. The biathlete returned to service after a major surgery and managed to get several medals of various denominations, including two "gold" in relay races.
In 2017, Simon said that he did not think about ending his sports career yet. And he expressed a desire to attend the world championship in Russia in 2021. In the meantime, his achievements are far from ideal. Simon has often had to settle for places in his third decade in recent years.
Fourcade has taken part in the World War Games more than once and has always been one of the best representatives of his country. He is considered the strongest team fighter among French biathletes.
Simon respects Russian biathletes and maintains friendly relations with some of them.
Personal life of Simon Fourcade
Simon Fourcade has never had a shortage of female fans. At the starts in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in 2011, he met biathlete Anastasia Spirina. They met for some time. But the giant distances between the lovers did their job: the relationship ended, the matter did not come to the creation of a family.
In the spring of 2017, Simon becomes a father. The mother of his son Adam was Fourcade's girlfriend, Clemence Tulz. The birth of a son influenced the life of Simon. He became even more collected and disciplined.
The French athlete is fond of football and considers himself a fan of the Barcelona club. When asked about the reasons for this addiction, Fourcade replied that he was born near Catalonia.
Fourcade has repeatedly participated in photo shoots held by glossy magazines. And every time photographers were amazed by his excellent physical shape and athletic build.
