Daviet eyes world and Paralympic titles

France’s Benjamin Daviet plans to maintain his upward curve in performance in 2015-16, as part of his plans to get to the top of the podium at the 2017 World Championships and PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.

Daviet, who won his first World Championships medals at 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships in Cable, USA, is preparing for the start of the World Cup season in Tyumen, Russia, from 2-9 December.

"My goals for this season are to stay on the podium overall in the World Cup,” Daviet, who took three silver and a bronze medal in Cable, said. “I am already preparing for the World Championships in 2017 and the Paralympic Games in 2018. My aim is to win individual golds in these two big events.”

Daviet is working hard to achieve the targets he has set himself but will not give away his training secrets. "I do a lot of hours of training. Bike, roller ski, weight training ... I will not reveal my programme though!"

The 26-year-old won two silver medals in the men's standing events in cross country in the 1km sprint and the 20km race in Cable. In biathlon he won another silver in the 7.5km and a bronze in the 15km.

Not only were these the first World Championship medals he has ever won but he won a medal in every individual race that he competed in.

"It was a very beautiful experience,” Daviet said. “To win four medals in four races it was just fabulous. The tracks suited me perfectly. You had to be in top shape because the tracks were very demanding."

Considering that Daviet's first ever podium only came at a World Cup in January 2014, just one year before Cable, his rise to the top has been very quick. "I did not expect to win so many medals at these Championships,” he said.

“My goal was to bring back at least one but my chances were better because I competed in five-out-of-five races. I worked on my technique and physical strength and did a lot of hours throughout the summer in preparation. I must also say that my trainer and my technician did a great job. Without them the athlete couldn't achieve all this."

The four individual medals were not the only ones he collected in Cable. He also got his first taste of gold by winning the 4x2.5km open cross-country relay along with his teammates Thomas Clarion, with guide Lucas Duperrex, and Anthony Chalencon. Their win was very impressive as they beat an extremely strong Russian team by 20 seconds.

"To be world champions in a team is just beautiful and it is different from an individual medal,” Daviet beamed. “A medal won in a team represents all the work from many people over several years within the same group. And to win a medal with friends makes very good memories that we keep for life.

“But an individual medal counts a lot because it is the fruit of hard work and sacrifice."

The 2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Cup gets underway with both cross-country and biathlon in Tyumen between 2-9 December.