Britain’s only Jewish Biathlete has his sights set on the next Winter Olympics

A 17-year-old Jewish teen from north London has been selected onto the British Biathlon’s development programme and has his sights set on competing in the next Winter Olympics.

Jack Davis-Black, 17, has travelled to Norway, Germany, and Canada in recent months to train and compete in the sport, which comprises skiing and shooting. He lives in north London, is the only Jewish British Biathlete, and one of only a few worldwide.

While studying at JCoSs in 2018, he was named as one of three winners of the Daniel Sacks Awards for Outstanding Young Athletic Achievement for his middle-distance running at London Heathside, having enjoyed “an exceptional season” over track, road and cross-country.

He beat stiff competition to win the Barnet Schools’ 1,500m title and took both the 800m and 1,500m titles at the JCC Maccabi Games in Orange County, USA, setting personal bests in both races. He has now been running for six years.

“I started being involved in biathlon when I first heard about the new development programme,” he said. “I have done various other sports such as downhill skiing since a very young age and also cycling as it helps with running.”

Since becoming a biathlete, he said he had “enjoyed the training aspect the most, as it is different from what I normally do but still fits in with my running… I have also met lots of new people on this journey who have been very friendly”.