Biathlon retirements mean new hopefuls take aim at Olympics

FILE - Sweden's Hanna Oberg crosses the finish line to finish second in the women's Biathlon World Cup 12.5 km mass start event in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic, March 8, 2020. Öberg took gold in the women's 15-kilometer individual at the PyeongChang Olympics, while Norway's Johannes Thingnes Boe won the men's race and both have stood on the podium this season. But all other 2018 gold-medal winners have moved on to other adventures. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)

FILE - Johannes Thingnes Boe, of Norway, skies during the men's 20-kilometer individual biathlon at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Feb. 15, 2018. Hanna Öberg, of Sweden, took gold in the women's 15-kilometer individual at the PyeongChang Olympics, while Thingnes Boe won the men's race and both have stood on the podium this season. But all other 2018 gold-medal winners have moved on to other adventures. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)

FILE - Athletes shoot during the men's 12.5 km pursuit race at the Biathlon World Cup in Hochfilzen, Austria, Dec. 11, 2021. A flurry of retirements since the 2018 Winter Games has left only a few to defend their Olympic biathlon titles, while a host of talented racers have shown promise this season, making predictions for Beijing success nearly impossible. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)

FILE - Anais Bescond, left, of France, leads the field during the women's 4x6 km relay race at the Biathlon World Cup in Hochfilzen, Austria, Dec. 11, 2021. No one nation has dominated the 2021-22 World Cup biathlon season, but several have consistently secured podium spots. On the women’s side, Norway, Sweden, Belarus and France have taken turns at the medals. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)