Biathlon Australia

Dear Biathlon Family Australia,

2024-25 National Para Team biathlete, Taryn Dickens and coach Kaspar Wirz, have recently returned to Australia after taking part in the IBU’s first Para Biathlon Development Camp which was hosted in Hochfilzen, Austria, from 16-21 September 2024. Taryn has her sights set on the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games (PWG) and being Australia’s first female and first VI athlete to compete at the Games in biathlon. Taryn will be competing for one of only 70 biathlon athlete quota spots for Women (there are 110 athlete quota spots for Men). Only one Australian has managed to represent AUS in biathlon at the PWG and that was James Millar back in 2006. The medal events programme and athlete quotas for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games can be found here.

The overall objective of the para development camp was to help participating athletes and coaches improve their skills and competence for future participation in international level competitions. The IBU aims to provide Para Biathletes with the conditions under which they can develop to their fullest, and provide them a stage on which they can deliver their best performances in front of global audiences. Hopefully, our National Para Team athletes get an opportunity this year to participate at the PBWC2/PWG Test Event at Val Di Fiemme, Italy 27 – 30 Jan 25.

Taryn described wearing her first ever IBU race bib, Number 9, at Hochfilzen as “pretty exciting”. We think it’s pretty exciting too:

·    Directors Kat Paul and David Windsor were recently at the 16^th IBU Congress where Hochfilzen was awarded the 2028 IBU World Championships.

·    Hochfilzen has been the World Championships host in: 1978, 1998, 2005 and 2017.

·    The 2028 World Championships will be held exactly 50 years after the first time.

·    Biathlon Australia was represented by Bob Cranage, Lauri Jortikka, Bob Butler, and Andrew Paul at the 1978 World Championships in Hochfilzen.

·    Hochfilzen hosted the first World Championships with small bore rifle in 1978.

·    Hochfilzen is beginning to celebrate 50 years of small bore Biathlon (1978-2028).

Biathlon Australia was founded on 10 August 1976 about six months after the first Winter Paralympics were held in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. Para biathlon was added to the Winter Paralympic Games program in Innsbruck in 1988 for athletes with physical disabilities. Athletes with vision impairments (VI) began to compete in Albertville in 1992, and women's events were added to the Paralympic programme in Lillehammer in 1994.

We wish all our para athletes, including Taryn Dickens, Matthew Brumby, and David Miln, all the best on their Paralympic biathlon journeys.

Biathlon Australia, looking forward Milano 2026, to 50, and beyond!

David, Sandy, Murray, Brett, Tristan, Mark, Libby and Katerina

Taryn wearing her first ever IBU race bib, Number 9, at Hochfilzen: “pretty exciting”.

Taryn at Hochfilzen, the home of small bore Biathlon World Championships, with coach Kaspar Wirz