Norwegian biathlete Johan-Olav Botn has been crowned Olympic champion in the men’s 20km individual race at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Against the backdrop of a challenging season for Norway’s biathlon team, Botn handled the pressure superbly to deliver a flawless performance.

Botn completed the race with a perfect shooting record, hitting all 20 targets across the four shooting stages. With several pre-race favourites struggling on the range, that accuracy proved decisive in securing victory.

The silver medal went to France’s Éric Perrot, while bronze was claimed by another Norwegian, Sturla Holm Lægreid.

Milano Cortina 2026 — Biathlon, Men’s Individual (20 km)

1. Johan-Olav Botn (Norway)        51:31.5 (0)
2. Éric Perrot (France)           +14.8 (1)
3. Sturla Lægreid (Norway)        +48.3 (1)
4. Olli Hiidensalo (Finland)      +1:29.7 (0)
5. Philipp Nawrath (Germany)      +1:31.5 (1)
6. Tommaso Giacomel (Italy)       +2:27.5 (3)
7. Sebastian Samuelsson (Sweden)  +2:29.3 (2)