Campell Wright, a 23-year-old biathlete, has qualified for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games. The dual citizen will compete for Team USA after he competed for New Zealand at the 2022 Games in Beijing. He is the only member of the U.S. Biathlon squad to qualify for the Games so far.

Wright met the preliminary U.S. Biathlon selection criteria for the Olympic team after he won two silver medals at the world championships in February. Now, he’s clinched a roster spot after final selection procedures were approved and published on Aug. 29 by the U.S. Biathlon Association. The criteria states that two quota spots each for men and women may be nominated from the 2025 World Championships, the top 25 in overall World Cup ranking for the 2024-25 season and the two top-10 finishes in World Cup and/or world championships non-team competitions during the 2024-25 season. 

It’s important to note that this is a nomination to the U.S. Biathlon Olympic roster for Wright, but an athlete officially can be named to the team only after approval by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. These nominations are expected in mid-January 2026.

Wright is seen as the best chance for the Americans to bring home their first Olympic biathlon medal ever. He’s expected to have a shot at the podium in the men’s 10km sprint on Feb. 13, the 12.5km pursuit on Feb. 15 and the 15km mass start on Feb. 20. Wright placed second in the 10km sprint and the 12.5km pursuit at the 2025 World Championships and fourth in the 15km mass start.

U.S. Biathlon says the next opportunity for team qualification will come during the first trimester of the World Cup in December. Biathlon competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics begins on Feb. 8 with the mixed relay 4x6km event.