, ▁Quebec , ▁B éd ard ▁learned ▁mark sm ans hip ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Canadian ▁Army ▁Cad ets ' ▁ 2 7 7 2 ▁cad et ▁corps , ▁which ▁she ▁joined ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 5 , ▁and ▁participated ▁in ▁her ▁first ▁bi ath lon ▁event ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 5 . ▁She ▁became ▁Canadian ▁junior ▁champion ▁in ▁the ▁sport ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁B éd ard ▁was ▁the ▁second ▁Canadian ▁to ▁win ▁a ▁bi ath lon ▁World ▁Cup ▁event , ▁and ▁she ▁formed ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Canadian ▁team ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁Winter ▁Olympics , ▁in ▁Albert ville , ▁France ▁– ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁women ▁competed ▁in ▁bi ath lon ▁at ▁the ▁Olympics ▁– ▁and ▁B éd ard ▁won ▁a ▁bronze ▁medal ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 5   km . ▁The ▁following ▁year ▁she ▁won ▁her ▁first ▁major ▁title , ▁as ▁she ▁won ▁the ▁ 7 . 5   km ▁event ▁at ▁the ▁World ▁Championships , ▁also ▁placing ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 5   km ▁race . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁Winter ▁Olympics ▁in ▁L ille ham mer , ▁Norway , ▁she ▁improved ▁this ▁performance ▁and ▁won ▁both ▁individual ▁events , ▁then ▁served ▁as ▁Canada ' s ▁flag ▁bear er ▁in ▁the ▁closing ▁ceremony . ▁She ▁was ▁also ▁awarded ▁the ▁Lou ▁Marsh ▁Tro phy ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁for ▁the ▁year ' s ▁top ▁performance ▁by