My name is Paul Benhayoun, I’m French-Moroccan and I want to become the first Moroccan and African biathlete to take part in the Milan 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

I’ve loved sport and hard work since I was very young, and grew up playing tennis in Reims (1h30 from Paris).

Born of a French mother and a Moroccan father, I have always dreamed of becoming a top-level athlete and taking part in the Olympic Games. It was in 2018, in Chamonix Mont-Blanc, that I took my first steps in skating. An introduction to cross-country skiing and then biathlon only strengthened my desire to perform in these sports.

It was during conversations between friends about “a Moroccan on skis” that a crazy idea was born. This feeling of being different from the others, together with my determination, made me dream big: I wanted to take part in the Milan 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Biathlon and represent Morocco.

With the support of my family and friends, my coach and the Ravanel & Co team, I’m doing everything I can to achieve this Olympic dream.
Not having grown up on cross-country skis or with a biathlon rifle, the road to the Olympic Games is both incredible and difficult. It’s a dream that I’m in the process of realising, and there are many steps to take before 2026.

I’m very honoured to be able to take part in the Winter World Master Games 2024 in Lombardy. I’m looking forward to a world-class event that will be my first international competition on the long road to the Olympics.