Tommaso Giacomel said he was struggling to breathe during his final ​​biathlon race at the 2026 Winter Olympics

ANTERSELVA, Italy (AP) — The sport of biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing and precision target shooting, requires hundreds of hours of training annually and the ability to push your body to the maximum effort for an athlete to have a chance of success at the Olympics.

ANTERSELVA, Italy (AP) — Biathlon, which combines rifle shooting and cross-country skiing, developed out of Scandinavian military training exercises. So it's not surprising that many of the biathletes competing at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics have military or law enforcement careers that help them fine-tune their skills,

From helping hands up slippery paths, to drinks and sausages passed over seated revellers in the beer tent, to universal appreciation for Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi, who won the final race, the whole vibe was warm and welcoming.

"It's about giving back and justice," said France's Martin Fourcade, now the gold medalist in the mass start from the 2010 Games.

The U.S. Men's Biathlon team was hoping to secure the first Biathlon medal for Team USA in Italy. They came just short - landing in 5th place, but set a new Olympic record for the U.S. The previous U.