Caroline Colombo (born 16 April 1996) is a French retired biathlete who competed internationally from 2015 to 2025.
Caroline Colombo (born 16 April 1996) is a French retired biathlete who competed internationally from 2015 to 2025.
Colombo, born in Pontarlier, France, was a member of the A.S. Mouthe club and trained at the Lycée Xavier-Marmier in Pontarlier. [1] [2]
Colombo began her international career in December 2015, participating in the IBU Junior Cup. She secured her first victory in this competition a year later in Lenzerheide. [3] [4] In July 2017, she suffered a severe injury during a roller ski training session in Font-Romeu, resulting in an open fracture and dislocation of her ankle. [5] Despite medical opinions suggesting a potential end to her career, she underwent a lengthy rehabilitation and returned to competition a year later. [6] [7] She transitioned to senior-level competitions, achieving her first IBU Cup victory in December 2018 in Obertilliach in the individual event. [8] In the 2021–22 IBU Cup season, Colombo won the sprint discipline title and finished 8th overall. [3] [9]
Colombo made her World Cup debut in January 2019 in Oberhof. [10] Throughout her career, she participated in 58 World Cup events, with her most notable individual performance being a 5th place finish in the mass start at Östersund in 2023. [11] [12] She achieved her sole World Cup victory in a mixed relay event in Nové Město in March 2023. [3] [4]
In the 2021 European Biathlon Championships held in Duszniki-Zdrój, Colombo won a silver medal in the single mixed relay event. [13] [14]
In November 2023, Colombo was diagnosed with neuropathy, [15] a condition causing chronic pain and fatigue, which significantly impacted her performance. [11] After struggling with the condition for over a year, she announced her retirement from professional biathlon on 5 February 2025 at the age of 28. [16] [17]