2026 Winter Olympics: Historic French Success and Dramatic Farewells of Biathlon Stars

The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games have gone down in history as the most successful for the French team. The French team won a total of 23 medals, which is an improvement of eight medals over the previous record. The key moment of the final phase of the competition was the women's mass start in Anterselva, where Océane Michelon won her first individual Olympic gold medal. The success of the French women was sealed by Julia Simon, who, despite poorer skiing form, managed to win the silver medal. The bronze medal was won by Czech athlete Tereza Vobornikova, for whom it was the first individual podium of her career. The Polish team did not play a significant role in these competitions, focusing on starts in other disciplines within biathlon. The struggles in Anterselva were also the scene of sentimental farewells. The career of Italian sport icon Dorothea Wierer, who placed fifth, came to an end. German athlete Franziska Preuß also announced her official farewell. However, her departure took place in the shadow of bitter words about the atmosphere on social media. Preuß described the pressure and anonymous hatred flowing from the internet as "psychoterror," admitting that she disconnected from the internet to be able to finish her starts. Similar experiences were described by Vanessa Voigt, which sparked a broad debate in Germany about protecting the mental health of Olympians. The German team ends the Games with a sense of unfulfillment, having only one biathlon medal in its tally, which heralds the need for deep structural reforms. The tradition of biathlon in Anterselva (Antholz) dates back to the 1970s, when one of the world's most modern centers was built there. Since then, the South Tyrolean venue has regularly hosted World Championships, becoming the home of the Italian national team. The final day of the Games also brought unexpected changes to the lineup for the 50 km cross-country ski race. The main favorite, Sweden's Frida Karlsson, had to withdraw from the competition due to a high fever. The organizers prepared a closing ceremony in Verona, where the Italian flag will be carried by Lisa Vittozzi. The French, meanwhile, are already turning their attention to 2030, when the Winter Olympics will be held in the French Alps. Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, head of the French committee, emphasized that the current success is the result of systematic work that should pay off during performances in front of their home audience. „Dieser Psychoterror, wenn die Leute sagen, schau bloż nicht auf Social Media, was da wieder geschrieben wird. Da hängen diese negativen Kommentare einfach viel tiefer.” — Franziska Preuß