The Norwegian-Swedish top talent chose the Swedish national team. Now he is a big hope for the future of Swedish biathlon. “It feels nice that people see me as a talent. It gives me motivation to work hard,” says the newly selected Swedish A-team biathlete.

With a Swedish mother and a Norwegian father, Philip Lindkvist Flötten holds dual citizenship and could choose which national team to represent. He chose Sweden over Norway simply because the Swedish junior national team was the first to make him an offer.

“I hadn’t heard anything from the Norwegian national team, so when this offer from Sweden came, I accepted it,” says Lindkvist Flötten when Langd.se met him at the season-opening camp at Idre Fjäll ahead of the upcoming season.

The youngster in an experienced team

The setting at Idre Fjäll is new to him, but he enjoys his new surroundings in the Swedish terrain and with his new Swedish national team teammates. At 20, he is the youngest in a very experienced men’s national team, where almost every athlete has competed for many seasons. His goal for the winter is clear.

“Of course, it’s to be better than last year. And if I am, then I think it’s reasonable to hope to race a few World Cup races too,” says Lindkvist Flötten.

Has already made biathlon history

However, he has already made his World Cup debut – at the World Cup finals in Holmenkollen last season. He was selected for those races after his success at the Junior World Championships in Arber, Germany, a few weeks earlier. There he won gold, silver and bronze and made Swedish biathlon history. No Swedish biathlete had ever done that before.

Early in the season, he also reached the podium in the IBU Cup (the level below the World Cup) for the first time.

Moved to Östersund

This summer he moved from Lillehammer to Östersund – a strategic choice.

“You want to make the national team. And everyone else on the national team lives in Östersund and trains together almost every week. You need that level of competition in training.”

Chose biathlon at 15

But when did Philip Lindkvist Flötten decide that biathlon was the sport he would focus on? According to him, he made the choice at around 14–15 years old.

“Our family moved to Trondheim after I finished middle school. I played some soccer back then too, but it became more and more biathlon. The area around Trondheim is a very good place to train biathlon, and we were a group of friends who often went out skiing and did long sessions together, and I really enjoyed that environment.”

Did your parents compete in skiing?

“No, not at all. I don’t really come from that background.”

He first discovered biathlon during the home World Championships in Holmenkollen in 2016, when, as a 9-year-old, he stood in the crowd and cheered on the Norwegian athletes.

“It was really fun to watch. I was there for several days watching the races.”

Needs to be more consistent on the range

After lower secondary school, he applied to the ski high school in Lillehammer. There he took big steps forward in just a few seasons. Tests he has done in Norway have shown great physical capacity, but Lindkvist Flötten stresses that shooting is at least as important, if not more important, for success.

“Many of us are quite even on skis. There is no more than a minute at most between us in races, and then shooting becomes important. I need to be more consistent there and not go up and down so much.”

Also Read: Swedish biathlon team for season 2026/2027

Season opener in Idre next weekend

The season opens in Idre next weekend. Will you race?

“Yes, that’s the plan.”

What kind of answers are you hoping to get there?

“I’m not really hoping for any particular answers; it’s very early in the season. I’m thinking more about how I perform on the course and that I’m not too far behind. But yes, finishing in the top six among the Swedish athletes would be good.”

What are your favorite race formats?

“I’d say mass start and pursuit. It’s man against man, and you can see right away where the others are and where you stand in the race.”

There is a World Championships in Otepää in February. Is that something you think about or aim for?

“I haven’t thought much about it yet. I’m thinking more about the World Cup and getting the chance to race there.”

What do you think it will take for you to be considered for the World Championships?

“Of course, you have to ski well. You have to stay healthy, and not least, your shooting has to be consistent. You can’t have a great day and then a terrible day.”

Read More – Biathlon World Cup: Calendar for the 2026/2027 winter season 

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