Campbell Wright, the number one All-Black in biathlon who risks not going to Beijing 2022

Campbell Wright, l’All-Black numero uno del biathlon che rischia di non andare a Pechino 2022
Photo information

getty images Germany +49172829

BiathlonBiathlon - Beijing 2022

Campbell Wright, the number one All-Black in biathlon who risks not going to Beijing 2022

From New Zealand to a temple of the Biathlon World Cup, where he achieved the best result of his career, passing through Livigno, where he has the European training base. The young All-Black, however, risks not going to the Olympic Games, even if the United States is ready to give him a return ticket to China.

Born in 2002 from Wanaka (Otago - New Zealand), biathlete and cyclist in winter (austral), biathlete in summer with a dream: to go to the Olympic Games to take Aotearoa as high as possible. Campbell has already participated in the Lausanne Youth Winter Olympics in 2020, where he competed in both biathlon and cross-country skiing, but the goal is to be in Beijing, to gain experience in view of Milan-Cortina 2026. After having also taken part at the World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf in 2021 (103rd in the 15 km free technique after finishing 2nd in the qualification) he dedicated himself full time to the rifle, making his debut among the greats of biathlon on the occasion of the Sprint of the Pokljuka World Championships. From that moment 9 World Cup starts and two entries in the points: the first in the Oestersund Sprint (40th), the second in Ruhpolding, where he finished 25th with zero shooting. An exceptional personal result, the best in history for New Zealand and more generally for an athlete from the southern hemisphere, but not sufficient to meet the standards set by the New Zealand Olympic Committee, which has as a minimum requirement (in all sports) a placement in the top 16. But Campbell, who has Livigno as a training base and is supported by coach Luca Bormolini, has a plan B. The United States has in fact proposed to summon him to the Olympic Games, given that the boy has a US passport. The parents in fact have dual citizenship. Tomorrow the NZOC is expected to announce the squad for Beijing, but although the issue has already been raised by local media and Campbell has repeatedly declared that he wants to represent the colors of the All-Blacks in China, the decision is not taken for granted. The precedents of Tokyo 2021, which involved two sprinters, are however not very encouraging. Furthermore, relations with the New Zealand Federation are not idyllic, as Campbell is self-financing with sponsors. But the United States, led by the Italian Auchentaller, have shown interest in him and Beijing could still become a reality. Meanwhile, on Sunday there will be the Pursuit and then Anterselva, to continue to amaze and dream.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
36
Social media engagement