Martin Ponsiluoma Clinches Historic Biathlon Gold at 2026 Winter Olympics

Martin Ponsiluoma emerged victorious in the pursuit biathlon event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, delivering a historic win for Sweden by securing its first biathlon gold medal and breaking a medal drought in the sport at the Olympics. Starting the race from seventh place, Ponsiluoma demonstrated exceptional skill and composure, shooting perfectly in the first prone round and recovering well after a single miss in the second. His relentless performance in the penultimate shooting positioned him in second place, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

In the final shooting round, Ponsiluoma capitalized on French competitor Émilien Jacquelin’s two missed shots, taking the lead and holding it to the finish with a time of 31:11.9. Norwegian Sturla Holm Lägreid claimed silver, while Jacquelin settled for bronze. This victory marks Ponsiluoma’s second Olympic medal following his silver in 2022 and contributes to Sweden's tally of five gold medals in these Games.

Significantly, Ponsiluoma credited mental coaching as a key factor in his improved consistency and calmness under pressure this season. Under the guidance of his coach Jean-Marc Chabloz and a dedicated mental coach, Ponsiluoma has sharpened his mental preparation, which played a crucial role in his shooting accuracy and performance. “I have taken it a bit more calmly, not stressed myself too much,” Ponsiluoma said, reflecting on his growth.

The achievement was met with praise from Swedish team coach Johannes Lukas, who highlighted how Ponsiluoma's breakthrough would inspire the team moving forward. Norwegian biathlete Tiril Eckhoff also acknowledged Ponsiluoma's success as a refutation of critics surrounding Swedish biathletes this Olympic cycle. Ponsiluoma himself expressed deep emotion at the victory, indicating it nearly brought him to tears.

This gold medal victory not only cements Ponsiluoma’s status among biathlon's elite but also signals a resurgence for Sweden in the sport on the Olympic stage.