German biathletes experienced their worst Winter Olympics in 50 years, securing only one bronze medal in the mixed relay. This disappointing performance coincided with the farewell of world champion Franziska Preuß, who finished her final race in the mass start in 28th place without an individual medal. Sport Director Felix Bitterling acknowledged that while the team did not perform at their peak, he does not foresee the downfall of German biathlon, noting that the medal count was only one less than four years prior. He attributed the lack of success to missing crucial shots, seconds on the track, and a gap in running performance compared to top nations like France and Norway. Bitterling also pointed to shortcomings in youth development, particularly for male athletes, and highlighted promising junior talents like Leonhard Pfund, Elias Seidl, Franz Schaser, Julia Tannheimer, and Selina Grotian as potential future stars. Bitterling will depart his role after the season to join the IBU, with a successor expected by mid-March, while head coaches Kristian Mehringer and Tobias Reiter are set to remain.