Campbell Wright

Campbell McRae Wright (born 25 May 2002) is a New Zealand and American biathlete. He made his Biathlon World Cup debut in 2021 and represented New Zealand at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. In 2023, he became the first New Zealander and Southern Hemisphere athlete to win a medal in biathlon, after winning the 10 km sprint at the 2023 Junior World Championships. In 2025, he became the most decorated American biathlete in a single World Championship, after winning two silver medals in the Sprint and Pursuit in the 2025 Biathlon World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.

Early life Born in Rotorua on 25 May 2002, Wright is one of four sons of Americans Scott and Alison Wright, who emigrated to New Zealand in 1993. Scott Wright, an audiologist, was one of the founders of Bay Audiology New Zealand, and sold his interest in the company in 2009. One of Campbell's brothers is racing cyclist Paul Wright. The family moved to the Wānaka area in 2011. He also competed in three cross-country skiing events at the Winter Youth Olympics.

2021–2022: Senior Debut Wright made his senior international debut at the IBU Cup in January 2021. The following month, he was 75th in the 10 km sprint biathlon at the 2021 Biathlon World Championships. Later that year, in November, he debuted in the Biathlon World Cup in Östersund, where he placed 40th in the sprint biathlon, becoming the second teenager in Biathlon World Cup history, after Ole Einar Bjørndalen, to score World Cup points.

2022–2023: Junior World Champion During the season, Wright was coached by and traveled with the U.S. Biathlon Association.

He participated in 2022-23 Biathlon World Cup, scoring a career best in the 10 km sprint in the season opening in Kontiolahti. He later improved on this result when he ranked 20th in the 20 km Individual competition in the 2023 World Championships in Oberhof. He finished the season in the 55th place in the Overall World Cup ranking, collecting 55 points overall.

In the 2023 Junior World Championships, he won a gold medal in the 10 km sprint and became the first New Zealander and Southern Hemisphere athlete to win a medal in biathlon. He later finished 6th in the 12.5 km pursuit competition. These results also placed New Zealand at equal third in medal count in the championship, following Germany and Norway.

2023–2024: Representing the United States On October 23, 2023, The United States Biathlon Association announced the addition of Wright to the US National Biathlon roster. The move was done in collaboration with the New Zealand Biathlon and Olympic association, and was possible due to his double citizenship in New Zealand and the US. He was also the 3rd leg for the U.S. team's 4th place in the men's relay, the team's best-ever result.

He had a total of 20 Top 20 results throughout the season, including a 13 competition long streak of Top 20 results between January 20, 2024 and March 10, 2024. He had a total of 216 world cup points, and finished 31st in the Overall score.

2024–2025: First Medals, U.S. World Championship Record In 2025, Wright became the first U.S biathlete to win two medals in a World Championship, when he won back-to-back silver medals in the sprint and pursuit competitions. He was the first American biathlete to win a world championship medal since Susan Dunklee in 2020, and first man since Lowell Bailey's gold medal in 2017.

He finished the season in 17th place in the overall score, with 455 points. In addition, he ranked 13th in the sprint and pursuit score, and won the U23 Blue Bib (best biathlete under 23 years old).

Career results Olympic Games 0 medals EventIndividualSprintPursuitRelay Representing New Zealand 2022 Beijing 32nd 75th — — — —Representing United States 2026 Milano Cortina 27th 12th 8th 29th 5th 14th

World Championships 2 medals (2 silver)

World Cup Individual Podiums One medal (Silver)

No. Season Date Location Race Place1 2025-26 25 January 2026 Nové Město Mass Start 2nd

World Cup Team podiums No Victories 1 podiums (1 Mixed) No. Season Date Location Race Place Teammate(s)1 2025-26 15 March 2026 Otepää Mixed Relay 3rd Maxime Germain, Deedra Irwin, Margie Freed