Norwegian Biathlete Secures Record-Breaking Gold
In a remarkable display of precision and endurance, Norway’s Johannes Dale-Skjevdal clinched gold in the 15-kilometer mass start at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. His flawless shooting, hitting all 20 targets, contributed to Norway’s record-breaking 17th gold medal, surpassing their previous record of 16 set at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
“It’s quite a good ending to my first Olympics, and it is also my first time shooting 20 out of 20,” Dale-Skjevdal expressed with elation. “What a day to do it on. It’s real, and I can’t find the words, but it’s just amazing, of course.”
Dale-Skjevdal dominated the course, leveraging clean shots to lead after the first standing bout. He completed the challenging five-lap race on newly packed snow amid gusty winds in just 39 minutes, 17.1 seconds. His compatriot, Sturla Holm Laegreid, trailed by only 10.5 seconds, securing silver and marking his fifth medal of the Games with three silvers and two bronzes.
Reflecting on the race, Dale-Skjevdal noted, “After the third shooting, I was really hoping for something special, because then I got quite a solid gap, and then I knew that on my last shooting I would be alone on the range.” The conditions presented a dream scenario for him: “It was a situation that you dream of: coming alone on to the range, shooting in Antholz, in the Olympics, in my favorite discipline in mass start. I’m so happy.”
Laegreid, celebrating his 29th birthday, described the event as demanding. “It was a tough race,” he remarked. “The snow is very slow. The conditions on the range are windy, so it was like a race I had to fight for. Today I was in fighter mode, so it suited me well.”
Meanwhile, Germany’s Philipp Horn, despite a strong initial performance, fell to fourth place after being overtaken by France’s Quentin Fillon Maillet on a steep hill. Fillon Maillet, who missed four targets, managed to gain speed on the ski, earning the bronze medal, finishing 25.6 seconds behind Dale-Skjevdal. “I didn’t feel pain in my legs, so I could push hard,” Fillon Maillet shared. “I wasn’t so good on the shooting range, but you know, never mind. It’s still a medal, and with these Olympics it makes it nine in total right now. That’s incredible.”
Horn expressed his disappointment, saying, “I was great on the shooting range. I kept calm and relaxed, and did my job, but on the last loop I was just not strong enough. It was a fourth place, which is worth nothing at the Olympics.”
Fillon Maillet, a consistent performer, had previously contributed to gold in both the mixed and men’s relay events, and achieved victory in the sprint as well.
American Campbell Wright faced challenges, missing seven of his 20 shots and finishing last. Italy’s Tommaso Giacomel, second in the overall World Cup standings, initially led the race after cleaning all his prone shots. However, he withdrew during the third lap due to a sudden side pain affecting his breathing, as reported by the Italian biathlon federation.
The mass start race featured the top 30 biathletes based on World Cup standings and Olympic performance, covering five 3-kilometer loops with shooting rounds in prone and standing positions.
The women’s 12.5-kilometer mass start is scheduled for Saturday, concluding the Olympic biathlon competition.
For more information on the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, visit the AP Winter Olympics hub.
