Ring the biathlon bell for France’s performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The country became the first nation to sweep all three biathlon relays — men's, women's and mixed — and had several breakout stars. Nearly all the biathletes of Team France who were a part of the back-to-back gold in the men’s and women’s relays had an individual medal moment. Quentin Fillon Maillet became France's most decorated Olympian; the team’s youngest member, Oceane Michelon, won her first-ever gold medal; and Julia Simon became the most decorated French female biathlete with five career medals.
France and Norway went back and forth for the most biathlon medals at these Games, with France capturing 13 total medals over Norway's 11. Six of France’s biathlon medals were gold. Notably, Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid scored five medals.
While those two countries soared, Italy achieved its first gold medal in biathlon with Lisa Vittozzi, and Team USA got one step closer toward the podium with Campbell Wright.
At times, the biathlon news out of the Anterselva Biathlon Arena was just as noisy as the antics of the crowd inside the stadium. But for what it’s worth, the athletes of one of the most popular sports in Europe showed just how skilled they are at focusing on their sport. They skied fast and hit their targets before raucous fans.
| Country | Gold- Silver- Bronze |
Total |
|---|---|---|
| France | 6-4-3 | 13 |
| Norway | 3-5-3 | 11 |
| Sweden | 1-1-1 | 3 |
| Italy | 1-1-0 | 2 |
| Bulgaria | 0-0-1 | 1 |
| Czechia | 0-0-1 | 1 |
| Finland | 0-0-1 | 1 |
| Germany | 0-0-1 | 1 |
Event Summaries
Mixed 4x6km Relay
This high-caliber race set the tone for France’s dominance at the Milan Cortina Winter Games. The gold medalist French team included star biathletes Maillet and Simon in addition to Eric Perrot and Lou Jeanmonnot, Team Italy finished 25.8 seconds behind after Vittozzi shot clean at the range, while Team Germany captured bronze 1 minute, 37 seconds behind.
🥇 France
🥈 Italy
🥉 Germany
RECAP: Team France captures gold in biathlon mixed relay, Italy takes silver
Men's 20km Individual
Norway’s Johan-Olav Botn took gold in the men’s 20km individual event after a perfect race and clean shooting. In an emotional moment, he dedicated his last lap to his late friend and biathlete, Sivert Guttorm Bakken. Perrot of France finished 2nd, 14.8 seconds behind, and Laegreid of Norway finished 3rd.
🥇 Johan-Olav Botn, Norway
🥈 Eric Perrot, France
🥉 Sturla Holm Laegreid, Norway
RECAP: Norway and France top podium in men's biathlon 20km individual
Women's 15km Individual
With nerves of steel, France's Simon brushed off a single miss in the shooting range and skied powerfully through the course to gold. Her compatriot Jeanmonnot came in 2nd to take the silver, 53.1 seconds behind the winner, with Lora Hristova securing a surprise bronze for Bulgaria. This was Bulgaria’s first biathlon medal since the 10km pursuit at Salt Lake City 2002.
🥇 Julia Simon, France
🥈 Lou Jeanmonnot, France
🥉 Lora Hristova, Bulgaria
RECAP: Julia Simon of France victorious in 15km individual biathlon race
Men's 10km Sprint
In a close race, France's Maillet pushed past the frontrunners in the men’s 10km sprint to earn the fourth gold medal of his career. Norway’s Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen finished 2nd, 13.7 seconds behind, and Laegreid finished 3rd, 15.9 seconds behind.
🥇 Quentin Fillon Maillet, France
🥈 Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, Norway
🥉 Sturla Holm Laegreid, Norway
RECAP: Quentin Fillon Maillet of France unbeatable in biathlon 10km sprint
Women's 7.5km Sprint
Maren Kirkeeide hit all her targets and overpowered Team France on the last lap for gold in the women’s 7.5km sprint. It was a phenomenal performance from the young Norwegian, who skied a time of 20 minutes, 40 seconds. In her first Olympic appearance, Michelon won silver over veteran biathlete Jeanmonnot, who captured bronze after missing one shot.
🥇 Maren Kirkeeide, Norway
🥈 Oceane Michelon, France
🥉 Lou Jeanmonnot, France
RECAP: Maren Kirkeeide scores gold for Norway in women’s 7.5km sprint; France takes 2nd, 3rd
Men's 12.5km Pursuit
In an unexpected twist, Martin Ponsiluoma of Sweden secured Sweden's first biathlon medal at the Milan Cortina Winter Games in the men’s 12.5km pursuit. It all came down to the final shoot, when Emilien Jacquelin was forced to complete two penalty loops. In that window, Ponsiluoma sprinted to the finish, and Laegreid seized the opportunity for silver.
🥇 Martin Ponsiluoma, Sweden
🥈 Sturla Holm Laegreid, Norway
🥉 Emilien Jacquelin, France
RECAP: Martin Ponsiluoma chases down gold for Sweden in biathlon 12.5km pursuit
Women's 10km Pursuit
The women’s 10km pursuit is a biathlon race Italy won’t forget for a long time. Home country-favorite Vittozzi made a comeback from a season away from competition to win Italy its first gold medal in biathlon. In her last visit to the shooting range, she hit all five targets, and the crowd erupted.
🥇 Lisa Vittozzi, Italy
🥈 Maren Kirkeeide, Norway
🥉 Suvi Minkkinen, Finland
RECAP: Lisa Vittozzi brings home glorious biathlon gold for Italy in women’s 10km pursuit
Men's 4x7.5km Relay
The men’s 4x7.5km relay was a thrilling battle between the top countries in the sport — France, Norway, and Sweden. Team France’s Fabien Claude, Maillet, Jacquelin and Perrot flipped the lead from juggernaut Norway in the final shooting stage. It was the country’s first-ever Olympic gold in the event.
🥇 France
🥈 Norway
🥉 Sweden
RECAP: France scores men's 4x7.5km relay gold in biathlon showdown
Women's 4x6km Relay
Simon, Michelon, Jeanmonnot and Camille Bened confidently secured gold for France in the women’s 4x6km relay. Michelon provided a substantial lead with her fast skiing, and Simon anchored the race with rapid-fire shooting before her victory lap. Team Sweden won the silver medal after finishing 51.3 seconds behind, and Team Norway skied to bronze 1:07.6 behind France.
🥇 France
🥈 Sweden
🥉 Norway
RECAP: Team France locks up gold in women's 4x6km biathlon relay
Men's 15km Mass Start
In the final men’s biathlon event of Milan Cortina, Johannes Dale-Skjevdal of Norway shot 20 for 20 and cruised to gold in the men’s 15km mass start. Norway’s Laegreid scored his fifth medal of these Games with silver, and Maillet powered past Philipp Horn of Germany to claim bronze.
🥇 Johannes Dale-Skjevdal, Norway
🥈 Sturla Holm Laegreid, Norway
🥉 Quentin Fillon Maillet, France
RECAP: Norway picks up gold, silver in men's 15km biathlon; Maillet becomes most-decorated French Olympian
Women's 12.5km Mass Start
The women’s 12.5km biathlon was an intense race that came down to the last lap. Team France’s Michelon and Simon stormed past Tereza Vobornikova of Czechia to take the top of the podium.
🥇 Oceane Michelon, France
🥈 Julia Simon, France
🥉 Tereza Vobornikova, Czechia
RECAP: France's Oceane Michelon hits golden target in women's 12.5km biathlon