She was one miss away from being a reserve athlete at the Olympics. Instead, Maren Kirkeeide became the youngest female Olympic gold medalist in biathlon history. Now she opens up about the moment that changed everything.

Maren Kirkeeide made her Olympic debut at last winter’s Milano-Cortina, returning with gold, silver, and bronze medals. It’s not just the medal haul, but the way she achieved it that impresses.

After finishing 49th and missing five shots in her first race at the Olympics, the young athlete from Stryn, Norway, bounced back with two perfect shooting stops and a victory in the sprint. The 22-year-old Norwegian also etched her name in the history books as the youngest female gold medalist in biathlon.

Gained extra strength

Now, four months after the Olympics, Kirkeeide reflects on her dream day in Antholz-Anterselva in February.

“The coaches pushed me, which gave me extra energy and literally carried me across the finish line. You never know how fast the others are going, so I just gave it everything I had,” Kirkeeide tells IBU.

“I would have been happy with silver, too. The fact that I now have gold is unbelievable!”

She followed up that achievement with a silver in the pursuit and a bronze in the relay.

Also Read: Norwegian biathlon star claims 7.5km Sprint gold at Milano-Cortina 2026

The story continues below.

Childhood dream

For Kirkeeide, the Olympics have been a dream since she was a child watching the Games on TV. She has long dreamed of standing on the starting line, giving her all, and perhaps reaching the top.

“The Olympic Games mean lots of fun and exciting competitions. It had been my big goal for several years to compete there, and that motivated me to train even harder to get there,” she says.

What happens to the Olympic medals now?

“They are currently at my grandparents’ house. They will probably stay there. It’s kind of my home too. I spend my entire summer vacation with them and have been there a lot over the years,” Kirkeeide told Langrenn.com after the World Cup final in Holmenkollen.

Additionally, she also won the youth globe for the overall victory in the U23 World Cup.

Read More: Biathlon World Cup 2025/2026: Final standings after Holmenkollen

Generational talent

Maren Kirkeeide comes from the same club as the Bø brothers and made her World Cup debut in January 2023 at just 19 years old.

She already has 16 podium finishes in the World Cup, including two victories. In addition to her three Olympic medals, Kirkeeide has two World Championship medals: one silver and one bronze. And she is still only just 23 years old.

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