Croatia is often associated with pristine beaches and deep blue seas—but nestled in this summer paradise is a small, determined biathlon community with Olympic ambitions and a medal already in the books. Now, with Milano-Cortina 2026 on the horizon, Croatian athletes are chasing the dream of qualification—and more.

For Anika Kozica and Matija Legovic, the Olympic dream goes beyond personal glory. After Croatia failed to qualify any biathletes for Beijing 2022, the duo is on a mission to change that narrative in time for the next Winter Games.

“Since I was 10 years old, I wrote down in my list of life goals: go to the Olympics,” says Kozica, reflecting during the BMW IBU World Championships in Lenzerheide last winter.

At just 19, Legovic dares to think even bigger: “The dream is to win a medal, for sure.”

While Croatia may not be the first country that comes to mind when it comes to snow sports, it has had its moment of glory. In 2010, Jakov Fak claimed a bronze medal in the men’s sprint—competing then for his birth nation, Croatia. Today, Fak represents Slovenia but remains a source of inspiration for Kozica and Legovic.

“When you come from such a small biathlon nation, you have to think a lot about how you train,” Fak explains. “But I think that only made me stronger.”

Climate change is also reshaping the landscape for winter athletes.

“We don’t really get much snow anymore,” admits Kozica, who’s deeply aware of the environmental challenges impacting training conditions in the region. But the limitations don’t end with weather.

“We only have one wax tech,” she adds. “He prepares and tests all our skis—but he does the best he can.”

Legovic echoes the challenges with honesty and optimism: “We don’t have really good tracks or a proper shooting range, so we need to travel to other countries to train. But if you want to be the best, you just push those thoughts out of your head.”

Fittingly, this story coincides with Olympic Day (23 June), and with it, the IOC’s release of the biathlon qualification criteria for Milano-Cortina 2026. Athletes around the world will now study the document closely, figuring out what they need to achieve in order to be at the start line in Antholz next February.

Photo: Manzoni, Danielsson/IBU