Benjamin Daviet, the ten-time Paralympic medalist in biathlon and cross-country skiing, has announced that he will be teaming up with Perle Bouge for a new sporting adventure. The duo will attempt to qualify for the mixed double sculls event at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This comes after Stéphane Tardieu, Daviet’s previous partner, retired, leaving Bouge without a teammate.
“We started rowing together three weeks ago to see if we could match well,” Daviet explained. “It’s matching well, so we are continuing our adventure until the qualifying regatta in Lucerne in May. It’s an opportunity to participate in another complementary sport to mine. I had my first international regattas this year.”
Before the crucial Swiss event, Daviet and Bouge will train together multiple times to prepare for their first major intensities. “We’re going to give it our all,” said Bouge. “We’re experiencing a great human and sporting adventure. The coach has already approved our times and is quite satisfied. I had very good sensations in the boat, a sense of gliding. He has this notion with skiing, even though it’s not on the same playing field, and it shows.”
Despite his venture into rowing, Daviet is not giving up on his winter season, which will continue until the World Championships in May, nor is he ruling out the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy. Daviet and Bouge will compete in an event decisive for their presence at the Vaires-sur-Marne basin in Seine-et-Marne. “We’re going to give it our all,” Bouge affirmed. “We’re experiencing a great human and sporting adventure.”
