Let's look back: Some biathletes were successful at a very young age and represented their country at the Youth Olympic Games, where they won medals. If we take a closer look, we can see that some of them are now also competing in Milano Cortina, where they are also fighting for the top places.

Athletes between the ages of 15 and 18 participate in the Youth Olympic Games. It is like a preview of what athletes can expect when they participate in the adult Olympic Games. The Winter edition has already taken place four times, first in Innsbruck in 2012, then in Lillehammer in 2016, Lausanne in 2020 and most recently in Gangwon in 2024. Which biathletes won medals back then and are now on the starting line in Antholz?

Franziska Preuss dominated the competitions in 2012

Franziska Preuss was an outstanding athlete at the first Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck in 2012. At the age of 17, she won two gold medals (sprint, mixed relay) and a silver medal in the pursuit. On top of that, there was another gold medal in the mixed biathlon/cross-country relay. These successes are considered the cornerstone of her successful career. She has already competed in three Winter Olympics (2014, 2018, 2022) and won a bronze medal in the relay in Pyeongchang. For her fourth appearance, she has set herself the goal of winning an individual medal. Her memories of Innsbruck may help her achieve this.

Lou Jeanmonnot and Emilien Claude were successful in 2016

Four years later, Lou Jeanmonnot competes in the YOG and won the bronze medal in the pursuit. Emilien Claude took gold in the sprint. Both competed together in the Single Mixed Relay and narrowly miss out on another medal – in a photo finish against the Russian team. Marthe Kråkstad Johansen was even more successful. She took home three silver medals and the gold medal in the mixed relay.

From the youth category to the games in Antholz in just six years

Jeanne Richard already showed in Lausanne 2020 that she has what it takes to be a successful biathlete. She won gold in the mixed relay and silver in the sprint. Anna Andexer from Austria was also among the medalists, winning bronze in the sprint. Now they are both competing in the Winter Olympics for the first time.

The athletes have certainly learned from their experiences at the Youth Olympic Games on their way to becoming the world's best in their sport. We can follow how they perform. Who do you think among the successful YOG athletes could be among the medal winners in Antholz?

Photos: IBU I archive