Lise Meloche

Lise Meloche was born in Ottawa in 1960 and began her athletic career in Alpine skiing and Sprint kayaking. She won the junior national championships K2 in 1979. Soon after she became more active in cross-country skiing and competed for Canada in 1983.

Olympic skier Lise Meloche in Gatineau Park, Quebec, ski skating on crusty snow after an ice storm.

In 1984 Lise transferred to biathlon and rapidly dominated women's biathlon, not only in North America but on the world scene for nearly 8 years. Meloche was the first Canadian to win a world cup gold medal in biathlon.

Meloche was one of the pioneers of women's biathlon. In a career on the national team that spanned from 1983 to 1995, Lise competed in over 200 World Cups and two Olympics (1992 and 1994). She won four World Cup Gold Medals, and medaled in seven. She was overall third in the world in 1986. Her best placing at an Olympics was 17th in Lillehammer.

Lise Meloche is a Kinesiologist and educator, and co-wrote the national xc ski manual and coaching certification, she has published multiple books and videos on physical, mental conditioning and skills training. Meloche continues to complete in skiing, trail running, snowshoeing and coaches the largest multi-sport program in Canada (Natural Fitness Lab) with her husband, himself a National Champion.