The defending champion for the men’s 20km biathlon event is Norway’s Tarjei Boe. As the brother of Norway’s top biathlete Johannes Thingnes Boe, Tarjei is held to exceptionally high standards and is expected to perform another gold medal run for his country. Boe already has one Olympic gold medal under his belt from the 2022 Winter Games and is in pursuit of more. As a crucial part of the Norwegian mixed 4/6km relay team and a veteran on the Olympic stage, he is a prone shooting expert with 91% accuracy.

Boe’s mark on biathlon goes further beyond the targets he hits on the course. Also largely known for his comradery and team sportsmanship, Boe respects his competitors and honors their hard work just as much as he does his own teammates. At the end of the men’s mass start during the 2021 BMW IBU World Cup held in Annecy Le Grand Bornand, France, Boe paid homage to France’s Emilien Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet, who placed first and second. Putting his skis and poles down, he waved the French flag in front of them to congratulate them on their top finishes.

At the 2021-2022 biathlon World Cup in Antholz, Italy, Boe placed second in the men’s 20km individual event behind his Norwegian teammate Sturla Holm Laegreid. Not only did Laegreid win the 20km event, but he also won three other gold medals at the world championships including the men’s mass start, relay and mixed relay events. This is his first Olympic Games but will use his success and experience from the World Cup to prepare for the competition.

Boe will step onto the 2022 Olympic biathlon course for the men’s 20km individual event on Feb 8 at 3:30 a.m. ET with his sights set on gold.