This is like Christmas Eve for #biathlon fans (and podcasters!). Our Olympics kick off tomorrow with a Mixed Relay that could bring a medal to Italy… I won’t sleep tonight and I’m sure the lovely @penaltyloop.bsky.social @biathlonstats.bsky.social and @ballesdepioche.bsky.social won’t either!!

🇩🇰 🇬🇱 The Denmark/Greenland contingent has some awesome looking kits for these Olympics! #biathlon

If anybody is just checking in and is relatively new to the sport I did make a timeline of the history of biathlon. I think it’s pretty neat and kind of lets you know how we got here and why the sport looks the way it does #biathlon penaltyloop.com/2024/08/26/u...

🇮🇹 Rebecca Passler has submitted appeal of her ban. She is claiming contamination. Hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Women’s Individual (1st non-relay) is on Wednesday. Door isn’t completely closed on her competing. Very curious what her argument is. #biathlon

Now up: Surprise Medal Contenders? Every Olympics there is a name or 2 we look back on and think “Huh…that’s interesting.” I laid out my criteria in the piece so it will make sense. I also tried not to mention everybody! #biathlon penaltyloop.com/2026/02/06/s...

Making some tiers for medal contention for the Mixed Relay Heavy 🥇 Favorite France 🇫🇷 String medal contenders Sweden 🇸🇪 Italy 🇮🇹 Norway 🇳🇴 On the verge 🇩🇪 Best chance at an upset Czechia 🇨🇿 Switzerland 🇨🇭 Don’t forget about us! Finland 🇫🇮 USA 🇺🇸 Ukraine 🇺🇦 Total underdog Latvia 🇱🇻 #biathlon

🇨🇭Switzerland is rolling out the following team for the Mixed Relay: - Sebastian Stalder - Niklas Hartweg - Lea Meier - Amy Baserga Solid squad and if things unfold well Baserga is a strong closing leg! #biathlon

🇧🇪 Belgium with their first ever Olympic Mixed Relay team! They will be represented by: - Florent Claude - Thierry Langer - Lotte Lie - Maya Cloetens Hope they race their hearts out!!! #biathlon

🇱🇻 Want a real underdog for a top 5 finish? How about this Latvian team? - Andrejs Rastorgujevs - Renars Birkentals - Baiba Bendika - Estere Volfa This squad has been rolling from Juniors to World Cup. A high finish this season would be a nice capstone! #biathlon

🇺🇸 Team USA will be leading off what could be one of their best Olympic biathlon squads. Likely not a medal here but a respectable lineup! - Maxime Germain - Campbell Wright - Deedra Irwin - Margie Freed Freed actually with some solid anchor legs so no surprise there! #biathlon

🇨🇿 Czechia a trendy underdog for a Mixed Relay medal…and I can’t really argue against it! - Vitezslav Hornig - Michal Krcmar - Tereza Vobornikova - Marketa Davidova Could make a real run at it! #biathlon

🇩🇪 Germany Mixed Relay lineup will include: - Justus Strelow - Philipp Nawrath - Vanessa Voigt - Franziska Preuß Solid team. Possible Voigt and Preuß make up a ton of ground on the range #biathlon

🇮🇹 The Italian squad we knew the members but now we know the lineup: - Tommaso Giacomel - Lukas Hofer - Dorothea Wierer - Lisa Vittozzi If this team crosses the line in the top 3 there are going to be some happy tears #biathlon

🇸🇪 Sweden Mixed Relay Team with a slight surprise: - Sebastian Samuelsson - Martin Ponsiluoma - Anna Magnusson - Hanna Öberg I haven’t heard anything and Anna Magnusson is having a great season, but I hope Elvira is feeling well! #biathlon

🇳🇴 Norway’s lineup without the current World Cup 4th Overall Johan-Olav Botn who has dealt with a lot the last few months - Martin Uldal - Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen - Karoline Knotten - Maren Kirkeeide Maybe not the same firepower as some other teams but medal contenders! #biathlon

🇫🇷 France rolling out their Death Star lineup: - Eric Perrot - Quentin Fillon Maillet - Lou Jeanmonnot - Julia Simon That’s a monster lineup and absolutely one of and my personal favorite for the 🥇 #biathlon

Mixed Relay lineups are out! We already know a couple but I’ll run through some of the top ones! #biathlon

@thekenchilds.com sincerely appreciated you giving updates on the sliders from the different nations. I took notes!

Wild day coming up tomorrow and not even any biathlon! Been on planes all day so I need to catch up on the Opening Ceremony plus skiathlon bright and early (6am eastern!) to hopefully see Diggins take a medal! Plus figure skating + speed-skating + freestyle! Let’s go! #biathlon

🇮🇹 Didn’t comment at the time because it’s the obvious team but Italy rolling out - Tommy Giacomel - Lukas Hofer - Dorothea Wierer - Lisa Vittozzi That’s a team that can fight for medals and get the home fans fired up early in the Games! #biathlon

🇨🇭Switzerland is rolling out the following team for the Mixed Relay: - Nik Hartweg - Sebbe Stalder - Lea Meier - Amy Baserga Solid squad and if things unfold well Baserga is a strong closing leg! #biathlon

Now up: Surprise Medal Contenders? Every Olympics there is a name or 2 we look back on and think “Huh…that’s interesting.” I laid out my criteria in the piece so it will make sense. I also tried not to mention everybody! #biathlon penaltyloop.com/2026/02/06/s...

Anybody have any wishes they want to add to this list?!? #biathlon

Sjusjøen IBU Cup Men’s Sprint 1) Gaetan Paturel 🇫🇷 2) Franz Schaser 🇩🇪 3) Martin Nevland 🇳🇴 4) Damien Levet 🇫🇷 5) Christoph Pircher 🇮🇹 6) Roman Rees 🇩🇪 7) Simon Kaiser 🇩🇪 8) Ole Suhrke 🇳🇴 9) Leonhard Pfund 🇩🇪 10) Adam Vaclavik 🇨🇿 #biathlon

Last bit of self promotion…every day within 1-1.5 hours of the race finish we will have a podcast up to break down the race in detail and any news that we’ve heard. May even have a few interviews scattered in but no promises! #biathlon

Up tomorrow: Surprise Olympic medal contenders. The premise is that every Olympics there is a name where we look back and go “Huh that’s interesting.” 2018: Michal Krcmar 2014: Jaroslov Soukup 2010: Pavol Hurajt and Elena Khrustaleva Etc So we take a look at who could do it in 2026! #biathlon

I will also be updating an Olympic page throughout the Games with medal tables, updated weather, rosters (including current World Cup rankings so you can ID favorites), and any articles I write for the Games First piece is already up: My Olympics Wish List #biathlon penaltyloop.com/commentary-2/

For the new followers hoping in I’ve got an Olympics preview page where you can find some info including: - Schedule - Course maps - Antholz Weather - News and notes including starting quota info - Top 5 finishers at the Antholz venue the last 5 seasons #biathlon penaltyloop.com/2026/01/27/2...

🇸🇪 Sara Andersson got her rifle tweaked last week at the European Championship and immediately gets a win. Honestly don’t think that’s a coincidence #biathlon

Sjusjøen IBU Cup Women’s Sprint 1) Sara Andersson 🇸🇪 2) Celia Henaff 🇫🇷 3) Ragna Fodstad 🇳🇴 4) Lea Rothschopf 🇦🇹 5) Sophie Chauveau 🇫🇷 6) Marlene Fichtner 🇩🇪 7) Karoline Erdal 🇳🇴 8) Lara Wagner 🇦🇹 9) Fabiana Carpella 🇮🇹 10) Hanna Kebinger 🇩🇪 #biathlon

🇫🇷 So happy for Camille Bened!!! She will get a very good chance at Olympic glory by getting a start in the Individual!!! She finished 3rd in Östersund Individual She will trade spots with Oceane Michelon who starts the Sprint. Great choices! #biathlon

Last bit of self promotion…every day within 1-1.5 hours of the race finish we will have a podcast up to break down the race in detail and any news that we’ve heard. May even have a few interviews scattered in but no promises! #biathlon

Up tomorrow: Surprise Olympic medal contenders. The premise is that every Olympics there is a name where we look back and go “Huh that’s interesting.” 2018: Michal Krcmar 2014: Jaroslov Soukup 2010: Pavol Hurajt and Elena Khrustaleva Etc So we take a look at who could do it in 2026! #biathlon

I will also be updating an Olympic page throughout the Games with medal tables, updated weather, rosters (including current World Cup rankings so you can ID favorites), and any articles I write for the Games First piece is already up: My Olympics Wish List #biathlon penaltyloop.com/commentary-2/

For the new followers hoping in I’ve got an Olympics preview page where you can find some info including: - Schedule - Course maps - Antholz Weather - News and notes including starting quota info - Top 5 finishers at the Antholz venue the last 5 seasons #biathlon penaltyloop.com/2026/01/27/2...

For those just checking in to biathlon welcome! France is going to be one of the top contenders in this race where men lead off for 2 legs and then women. Still waiting for official lineup announcements from other teams but expect other medal contenders to be Sweden 🇸🇪 Norway 🇳🇴 Italy 🇮🇹 #biathlon

🇫🇷 France will begin the Olympics with a powerhouse Mixed Relay squad - Eric Perrot - Quentin Fillon Maillet - Lou Jeanmonnot - Julia Simon Scary looking group for everybody else! #biathlon

The 2026 Winter Olympics Preview has been updated with Passler news. Still waiting 1-2 days before adding in the weather. Right now though weather does look okay! You will also find: -Schedule -Course Maps -Team Rosters -Recent top 5s in Antholz #biathlon penaltyloop.com/2026/01/27/2...

Now up: My 2026 Winter Olympics Wish List. Sure there are about 483 things I want to see at this Olympics, but I did my best to narrow it down to just 10. If even a handful of these things happen I’ll be one happy dude over the next two weeks! #biathlon penaltyloop.com/2026/02/02/2...

🎙️❤️ Le débrief de Nove Mesto, dernière étape de la coupe du monde avant les jeux olympiques ( avec un peu de preview des JO dedans :D ) ! Christophe Herbinet à l'animation et Raphaël Casarotto de la chaine youtube "chroniques de biathlon" en consultant ! ➡️ ballesdepioche.podbean.com/e/balles-de-...

🇺🇸 I wish the guys had a chance to march in the opening ceremonies and that these boys would actually wear this. Thanks to Maren Hammerschmidt for sharing these loonies haha! #biathlon

Sjusjøen IBU Cup Single Mixed Relay 1) France 🇫🇷 2) Austria 🇦🇹 3) Sweden 🇸🇪 4) Norway 🇳🇴 5) Slovakia 🇸🇰 6) Ukraine 🇺🇦 7) Czechia 🇨🇿 8) Germany 🇩🇪 9) Italy 🇮🇹 10) Poland 🇵🇱 #biathlon

Sjusjøen IBU Cup Mixed Relay 1) France 🇫🇷 2) Austria 🇦🇹 3) Germany 🇩🇪 4) Ukraine 🇺🇦 5) Sweden 🇸🇪 6) Italy 🇮🇹 7) Poland 🇵🇱 8) Czechia 🇨🇿 9) Slovakia 🇸🇰 10) Norway 🇳🇴 #biathlon

🇳🇴Johan-Olav Botn will reportedly not race in the Mixed Relay. Since his phenomenal 1st trimester it’s been a bumpy road for the current 4th Overall. Most recent setback is a stomach virus that hit him during training last week. It appears Martin Uldal and Vetle Christiansen are the choices #biathlon

The 2026 Winter Olympics Preview has been updated with Passler news. Still waiting 1-2 days before adding in the weather. Right now though weather does look okay! You will also find: -Schedule -Course Maps -Team Rosters -Recent top 5s in Antholz #biathlon penaltyloop.com/2026/01/27/2...

Now up: My 2026 Winter Olympics Wish List. Sure there are about 483 things I want to see at this Olympics, but I did my best to narrow it down to just 10. If even a handful of these things happen I’ll be one happy dude over the next two weeks! #biathlon penaltyloop.com/2026/02/02/2...

🇮🇹 Italian Rebecca Passler tested positive for the banned substance Letrozole. She is out for the Olympics and will be replaced by Samuela Comola. Passler was in the midst of a career year with several of her best ever finishes. We are still awaiting her statement #biathlon

🇳🇴 Norwegian women gave it a hell of a run! Kalkenberg and Erdal got off to a solid start. Olympian Juni Arnekleiv with a great leg to take them to the front (exactly why she’s going Antholz). Guro Ytterhus didn’t embarrass herself at all, she’s just so young! Great🥉! #biathlon

🇩🇪 Gotta hand it to each of the German women. Mareike Braun, Hanna Kebinger, Julia Kink, and Marlene Fichtner all put in solid legs. No weak spots and never really out of the race. Just good solid racing and for their reward they take home the 🥈! #biathlon

🇫🇷 It felt inevitable at the start, was not a sure thing in the middle, but ended as we thought it would. The French women complete their demolition of the field at these Sjusjøen European Championships with a final terrific 🥇! They took 8 of 10 possible medals 🤩 📸 Nordnes/IBU #biathlon