Article by Daniel Grigore – Published Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 9:56 p.m. / Updated Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 9:56 p.m.
Julia Simon (29 years old) won the Olympic gold in the individual biathlon event (15 kilometers) at the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games. He beat the compatriot whose credit card he had stolen in the competition!
10-time gold medalist at the Biathlon World Championships, Julia Simon won today her first individual Olympic gold medal. He also has an Olympic gold, also in the current edition of the Games, but in the mixed relay event.
Interestingly, today Julia defeated the compatriot with whom she was tried for theft. It is about Justine Braisaz-Bouchetranked 80th.
4 months after her prison sentence, Julia Simon became an Olympic biathlon champion
In October, the new Olympic champion appeared before a court in Albertville, accused of using the bank cards of her colleague and a member of the national team staff without permission.
Julia Simon eventually admitted the fraud, even though she also told the hearings that “I can't explain it, I don't remember doing it.”
She made online purchases worth more than 2,000 euros with the money of her colleague and staff member, for which she was sentenced to 3 months in prison with suspension and fined 15,000 euros. Sportsman, she was suspended for six months, but had to serve only one month of the sentence.
Julia Simon // photo: Gulliver/gettyimages
He finally roared, “Now leave me alone!”
After today's test, from the new position of Olympic champion, Julia raged, requesting that that episode not be unearthed.
“Now, frankly, I'd like to be left alone, because I read some things last night that were not very pleasant. I proved today that I belong here, and in fact I've proved it before. I have nothing left to prove to anyone, and now I would like to be left to do my job, to practice biathlon.
The past has been left behind within the team. We discussed things. Now we are here to win medals, to do biathlon. Today we showed this again,” she said, quoted by The Sun tabloid.
As for today's achievement, her first individual Olympic gold, Julia said it gave her “so many emotions”.
“Thank you to my family, friends and everyone who supported me. Today, the circle has closed. It's one of the most beautiful days of my sporting life. I'm very proud of my race. I didn't panic. I skied very well. I feel like I'm floating,” she added.
The silver in the individual biathlon event went to the Frenchwoman Lou Jeanmonnot, and the bronze medal was won by the Bulgarian Lora Hristova.
