A well-known North Shore woman is on the world stage attracting a lot of attention in her bid for competing in the biathlon at the Olympics.
Twenty-five-year-old Shilo Rousseau of Thessalon contacted The Moose from Austria to bring us up to date on her bid for the games, saying this is the best year she has ever had.
She says she is on the World Cup circuit and over the last two weeks, she has met two qualifying markers for the Games, which is her ultimate goal.
Rousseau says she will not be coming home for Christmas … rather she will stay in Europe for a training session during the holidays and return to World Cup competition in France in the New Year.
Rousseau entered her first biathlon in Blind River at 12, training as a member of the local club ever since.
She switched from an air rifle to a .22 when she was 15 and has not looked back since adding biathlon is a demanding sport that takes both physical fitness and extreme focus.
Rousseau adds she competes for herself and for her community, but also for her father who loves the sport but lost his bid for the Games when he broke his ankle.
She is cautiously optimistic about representing Canada at the next Winter Games and thanks everyone for their support.
Biathlon is not her only goal, her dream is to be a doctor.
Rousseau did her undergraduate work in biology at the University of Ottawa.
She says she has applied to the University of Toronto for medical school and so even on the biathlon trail, she is studying and working towards fulfilling the two humanities prerequisites she needs for acceptance into the program,
She is also prepping for the “all important” interview with the university, which will take place in late January.
And depending on her finishes on the World Cup, she will know by February whether she has qualified for the games.
She says if all goes well, she will not only qualify for them but also begin medical school in the fall.
“It’s tough, but I feel pretty good. It is so important to balance out everything, but I have the drive, the ambition, the dream to get it done,” says Rousseau. “I couldn’t do it without my mom and dad, Cecilia and Yves, the support of the Blind River club, the support of coaches like Michel Menard, and the support the community.
“I won’t be home for Christmas, but I wish everyone the best and look forward to seeing them in 2026, hopefully with a bid to the games under my belt.”
