The German biathlon team is experiencing the most difficult moments in its Olympic history. At the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Games, for the first time since the women's competition was introduced to the program in 1992, none of the German relays won a medal. The central figure of the drama was Franziska Preuß, whose shooting errors at the range in Anterselva dashed hopes for a podium finish. The gold medal was won in grand style by the French team.

Historic Lack of Relay Medals

For the first time since 1992, none of the German relays won a medal, finishing in fourth place.

Drama of Franziska Preuß

The team leader had to ski a penalty loop during the standing shooting, which deprived the German women of a chance at the podium in Anterselva.

Dominance of the French Team

The French women won the gold medal, confirming their status as the world's best team, ahead of the relays from Norway and Sweden.

German biathlon finds itself in an unprecedented crisis, confirmed by the relay results at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Both the men's and women's teams placed in the most frustrating position for an athlete, fourth place. The defeat of the women's team was particularly painful, as they had been the strength of the discipline for years. The relay team of Julia Tannheimer, Franziska Preuß, Janina Hettich-Walz, and Vanessa Voigt failed to defend a medal position, which is considered a historic failure. The key moment of the competition was the standing shooting, during which Franziska Preuß suffered a sudden collapse in form. The German had to ski a penalty loop, which, given the phenomenal form of rivals from France and Norway, proved to be an insurmountable loss. Preuß described the event as a 'blackout,' admitting that the Olympic pressure exceeded her mental capabilities. However, national team coach Kristian Mehringer and sports director Felix Bitterling emphasize that the fault lies not with an individual but with the training system, which in recent years has failed to produce a sufficient number of talents capable of competing with the world's leading teams. Germany had dominated biathlon for decades, and their women's relay had always stood on the Olympic podium since 1992, winning many gold medals during that time. This year's lack of a medal in both relay events is seen as the end of an era in winter sports across the Oder. „It was like a blackout as soon as I stepped onto the mat. I'm very sorry for my teammates because they suffer the most from my mistakes at the shooting range.” — Franziska Preuß While Germany counts lost opportunities and collects a record number of fourth places, dominance was confirmed by the French women, who won the gold medal despite initial problems for Camille Bened. Experts point out that the French training system, based on a broad talent pool and modern training methods, has allowed them to build a huge advantage over the rest of the field. The penalty loop of the German leader became a symbol of helplessness, and the representatives now have only one last chance for individual success in the mass start races. 0 — medals for German relays for the first time in Olympic history [{"position": 1, "name": "France", "info": "C. Bened, J. Simon, L. Jeanmonnot, J. Braisaz-Bouchet", "result": "Gold"}, {"position": 2, "name": "Norway", "info": "M. Kirkeeide, I. Tandrevold, J. Arnekleiv, K. Knotten", "result": "Silver"}, {"position": 3, "name": "Sweden", "info": "H. Oeberg, E. Oeberg, A. Magnusson, L. Persson", "result": "Bronze"}, {"position": 4, "name": "Germany", "info": "Tannheimer, Preuß, Hettich-Walz, Voigt", "result": "+1:12.4"}]

Mentioned People

  • Franziska Preuß — German biathlete, world champion, tragic figure of the Olympic relay in 2026.
  • Vanessa Voigt — German biathlete, anchor leg of the relay, who despite a good run could not make up the deficit to the podium.