Raphaël Poirée

Raphaël Poirée is a French biathlete, born on 9 August 1974 in Rives, Isère, who was active from 1995 to 2007 and ranks among the most successful biathletes of all time. Like the rest of the French biathlon and cross-country skiing team he served as a sport soldier. He won four IBU World Cup overall titles, in 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2003-04, and collected 44 World Cup victories among 103 podium finishes. At the Winter Olympics he won one silver and two bronze medals, and at the World Championships seven gold, three silver and seven bronze. He was one of the best mass start racers of his era. He retired after the 2007 World Championships in Antholz, and his last race was a close second place behind Ole Einar Bjørndalen at Holmenkollen. He is married to the Norwegian biathlete Liv Grete Skjelbreid.