Date of Birth:  September 8, 1982
	Place of Birth: Edmonton, AB
	Residence: Canmore, AB
Years on National Team:  2	Height:  N/A
	Weight: N/A

Canadian biathlete David Leoni started his skiing career at the age of five, competing in downhill races outside his native Edmonton. Dreams of downhill glory abruptly came to an end several years later, however, when his family moved to the small town of Camrose, situated between Edmonton and Calgary.

Instead of throwing in the towel, Leoni opted to adapt to his new surroundings and took up biathlon. By age 13, he was asked to join the Rocky Mountain Racers, an elite Alberta-based program that has also produced National Biathlon Team members Robin Clegg and Zina Kocher. One year later, the ever-improving young shooter was named Alberta Biathlon's Top Gun award winner.

At 16, Leoni joined Canada's National Junior Team and over the course of four seasons, picked up six Canadian biathlon titles. He also made a big splash at the 2003 Junior/Youth World Championships in Poland when he placed 16th in a tough 15 km Individual race.

Since joining the senior ranks in 2004, Leoni has seen his stock steadily rise. He finished 57th at the World Championships in Germany that year and since then has five Top-50 results on the World Cup Biathlon Tour, including a solid 38th place finish in a 10 km sprint in Austria early in the 2005-06 season.

The 2006 Turin Games marks the first Olympic Games for the talented 22-year-old, and judging from his steady improvement, don't count on them being his last.




2006 Biathlon Coverage