LAKE PLACID — Margie Freed, Maxime Germain and Deedra Irwin have officially been named to the U.S. Biathlon Olympic Team for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games, which are set for Feb. 6 to 22.
The objective selection was announced by the U.S. Biathlon International Competition Committee (ICC) on Sunday, following the conclusion of the World Cup 3 men’s individual competitions in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand, France.
The trio joins American teammate Campbell Wright of Wanaka, New Zealand as the first four qualifiers for the 2026 Olympic Biathlon Team. The dual citizen met the preliminary U.S. Biathlon selection criteria for the Olympic team after he won two silver medals at the world championships in February of this year.
Freed, 28, of Apple Valley, Minnesota, is set to make her Olympic debut at the Milano-Cortina Winter Games. A graduate of U.S. Biathlon’s Project X program, she was first introduced to biathlon at a U.S. Biathlon Talent ID Camp in 2019 before being reintroduced to the sport in 2020 by her Green Racing Project teammates at Craftsbury Outdoor Center. Since then, Freed has made steady and impressive progress, improving her shooting accuracy, shooting speed and ski times. Making her World Cup debut in 2023, Freed’s upward trajectory on the world stage brought a season-best 35th-place sprint finish in Ostersund, Sweden, securing her Olympic nomination.
“I am very excited to see all my hard work in biathlon pay off,” Freed said in a statement. “I want to thank my coaches, family and friends for helping me get here. Looking forward to a great time and having fun.”
Germain, of Chamonix-Mont Blanc, France, is also set to make his Olympic debut in Milano-Cortina after a breakout season-opening that has established him among the world’s best. The 24-year-old has turned heads with standout performances in both relay and individual races, playing a key role in the men’s fifth- and fourth-place relay finishes, as well as a sixth-place mixed relay result. Individually, Germain delivered a career-best performance in the men’s sprint, finishing 11th despite one miss in standing, and a 14th-place result in the pursuit, securing his Olympic qualification.
“I am stoked to have qualified,” Germain said in a statement. “The goal is now to perform there. It is going to be my first Olympics, but it shouldn’t be any different from other racing. Same venue, same racing, different name.”
Irwin, 33, of Pulaski, Wisconsin, will be competing at her second Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina. A veteran on the team, Irwin’s resume includes the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, four World Championships and seven World Cup seasons. Irwin’s Olympic history at the 2022 Beijing Games includes a seventh-place result in the women’s individual, the best Olympic finish by an American biathlete in history, 37th in the sprint, 47th in the pursuit, 11th in the women’s relay and 23rd in the mass start.
“I am so excited to represent Team USA at the Olympics for a second time,” Irwin said in a statement. “This Olympics I’ll be able to share with my family and friends, too. They are all so excited to come to Italy, eat some pasta, drink some Aperol Spritz and cheer me on. It’s an honor and privilege to represent my team, the U.S. Army and all the communities that supported me along this journey.”
The final Olympic team selection for biathlon will be announced on Jan. 6 following completion of the U.S. Biathlon Timed Trials event in Antholz, Italy, and will include one objective and one discretionary selection for both the men’s and women’s teams. All selections to the 2026 U.S. Olympic Team are subject to approval by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
