Jacques Jefferies is a professional biathlete competing at an elite level who has been an advocate for good mental health in sport for several years. Brought up in France, but with British parents, Jacques has just completed the switch from competing for France to competing for Great Britain, but will continue training and competing from his home in Morzine in the French Alps.

In 2023 he conducted a survey among almost 700 of his fellow athletes in a bid to understand better the mental health challenges they face. Over 70% reported having faced challenges, and 95% said they lacked knowledge on the topic. Since then, Jacques has used the survey results and personal experience to push for more education, accessible resources, and open conversations in the biathlon community

In our latest podcast interview we spoke to Jacques about his campaign, including the relationship between his role as an IBU Sustainability Ambassador and his interest in mental health in biathlon. One of the three pillars of sustainability Jacques explains, is the social aspect, and good mental health is critical for athletes to compete and to live their lives sustainably.

Jacques also explains how external pressures from, for example, the public, the media, sponsors and even athletes’ own inner circles can impact on their mental health, and discusses the important role of clubs and federations in ensuring that athletes’ voices are heard on mental health issues.

Jacques finishes with some great techniques for handling the pressures of competition, and some tips for other athletes who might be struggling with their mental health. 

The podcast is part of the BIU’s Summer of Mental Health campaign. You can listen to it here.