An Appleton, Wis. native is bringing his Midwest roots to the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, where he hopes to help Team USA achieve a historic breakthrough in biathlon.
Paul Schommer grew up in Wisconsin, where hunting and cross-country skiing are part of the culture. Those childhood experiences eventually led him to biathlon, a sport that combines both skills.
"It's just something that connects me back to my upbringing, and I'm proud of the place that I grew up, having a very unorthodox path to biathlon and realizing that there's a lot of things that make Wisconsin Wisconsin that helped me become who I am," Schommer said.
Biathlon requires athletes to excel at both cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. For Schommer, the skiing component is crucial.
Watch: Wisconsin biathlete Paul Schommer aims for historic Olympic medal at 2026 Winter Games
"What's really important in Biathlon is you have to be a fast cross-country skier. Like if you're not fast on skis, it really doesn't matter how good of a shooter you are," Schommer said.
Schommer spent seven years mastering both disciplines, including training time at the Ariens Nordic Center in Brillion, Wis. He made his first Olympic team in 2022 for the Beijing Winter Games, but the COVID-19 pandemic limited spectators and created a different Olympic experience.
"I think that was like the biggest bummer in all of it was that we weren't able to share that experience with the people who really helped us get there, and I speak that not only for myself but my teammates as well, and every other athlete who was there," Schommer said.
With the 2026 Olympics allowing full crowds, Schommer and Team USA are pursuing a goal that has remained elusive for decades: winning an Olympic medal in biathlon.
"To be part of that in any capacity, whether it's being a part of a relay team that can win a medal or even seeing one of my teammates win a medal, would be incredible. It'd be history in the making," Schommer said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.