Campbell Wright, who previously represented New Zealand at the Olympics, qualified with Team USA for the 2026 Games.
MILAN, Metropolitan City of Milan — Campbell Wright, a 23-year-old biathlon Olympian, is one of many Team USA members competing in the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in 2026.
Though his teammates were born and raised across the United States, Wright was born in Wanaka, New Zealand.
So how can a New Zealand-born athlete represent Team USA? He’s a dual citizen.
According to NBC Olympics, Wright previously represented New Zealand throughout the earlier part of his career, winning at “various competitive levels.”
He represented New Zealand in the 2022 Beijing Olympics and won World Championships in 2021 and 2023.
That same year, he switched to the United States for more intensive training and funding. NBC Olympics said Wright was born to two American parents and was able to make the switch from Team New Zealand to Team USA because of his dual citizenship and American passport.
His Olympic profile said he began biathlon in 2016 at the age of 14 since he lived near the “Snowfarm,” a ski area in New Zealand dedicated to cross-country skiing.
Wright will represent the United States at his second Olympic Games on Sunday Feb. 8 in biathlon alongside teammates Maxime Germain, Deedra Irwin and Margie Freed.
