Margie Freed Qualifies for First Olympics in Milano-Cortina

Margie Freed (Apple Valley, MN/Craftsbury Green Racing Project) has been named to her first Olympic Team for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games. The objective selection was announced by the U.S. Biathlon International Competition Committee (ICC) today following the conclusion of the World Cup 3 women’s individual competitions in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand, FRA. 

“Switching over from cross-country to biathlon over the past quad, Margie has put in the hard work to rapidly improve her shooting,” said U.S. Biathlon High Performance Director Lowell Bailey. “Now we are seeing the payoff - her accuracy is now something she can rely on, and we’ve seen her shoot 90% or better in many races this season. We are thrilled to have her on the team and looking forward to seeing what she can do in February!”

Freed, 28, 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 Östersund, SWE, securing her Olympic nomination.

“I am very excited to see all my hard work in biathlon pay off," said Freed. "I want to thank my coaches, family, and friends for helping me get here. Looking forward to a great time and having fun!”

Freed joins Campbell Wright (Wanaka, NZL/Waiorau Nordic Skiing), Deedra Irwin (Pulaski, WI/Army World Class Athlete Program), and Maxime Germain (Chamonix-Mont Blanc, FRA/National Guard Biathlon) as the first four qualifiers for the 2026 Olympic Biathlon Team. 

The final Olympic team selection for biathlon will be announced on January 6 following completion of the U.S. Biathlon Timed Trials event in Antholz, ITA, 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.