IBU Hall of Fame reveals Class of 2025

21 Feb. 2025

IBU Hall of Fame reveals Class of 2025

Three biathlon legends, Norway’s Liv Grete Skjelbreid and Germany’s Martina Beck and Michael Greis, were today inducted into the IBU Hall of Fame as the Class of 2025.

The three inductees were selected by the IBU Executive Board based on their incredible contributions to the sport over their decorated careers. Collectively, the three athletes won more than 10 Olympic medals, 37 World Championship medals and 155 World Cup podium spots.

IBU President Olle Dahlin said:

“We are very proud to welcome three highly deserving athletes into the IBU Hall of Fame. Liv, Martina and Michael have all had an enduring impact on our sport, inspiring not just those in their country but people around the world. Their legacy extends beyond the countless medals they won and as inductees of the Hall of Fame their contributions will be celebrated and forever be a part of biathlon history.”

Liv Grete Skjelbreid is one of Norway’s most decorated biathletes. She is one of only four Norwegian women to win the IBU World Cup Total Score since 1993, having claimed the title during the 2003/2004 season. In the same season, she topped the Sprint, Pursuit, and Mass Start standings, cementing her legacy as one of the finest athletes of her generation.

Her success extended beyond the World Cup. Skjelbreid captured three Olympic medals, including a silver in the Individual at Salt Lake City in 2002, and amassed 13 World Championship medals, five of which came in individual events. Her crowning moment came at the 2004 IBU World Championships in Oberhof, where she swept the competition, winning four gold medals - including in the Sprint, Pursuit, and Mass Start.

Throughout her career, Skjelbreid claimed 22 World Cup victories in individual competitions and stood on the podium 46 times, showcasing remarkable consistency. Including relay events, she won an additional race and secured another 29 podium finishes, bringing her career total to 52 podium appearances.

I started with biathlon when I was 9 or 10 years old, like Odd said, because of my sisters, and my family. My first goal was not to win. It was to be as fast as possible, to cross the finish line first because it was only cold water in the shower for those who didn’t win. But after, of course, my goal changed when the year passed. Still, The most important person, a very important person, was my sister. She had been waiting for me before I was born, before training, under training, after training, in all these years. She is the person who is the closest to me, who stopped me when I was tired, who pushed me when I didn't want to train, she was always there.

Martina Beck stands as one of Germany’s finest biathlon stars, known for her ability to shine on the biggest stages. She claimed the prestigious IBU World Cup Total Score title in the 2002/2003 season, a feat complemented by six further Top 10 finishes in the Total Score standings throughout her career. Her dominance in the 2002/2003 season extended to winning both the Individual and Pursuit Score titles. She later captured the Mass Start Score crown in 2005/2006.

Beck’s biathlon prowess was on full display at the Olympic Winter Games Torino 2006, where she earned two silver medals in the Individual and Mass Start, solidifying her reputation as one of the best performers of the event. In total, she collected four Olympic medals.

Her success extended to the IBU World Championships, where she amassed 12 medals, including the gold medal in the Pursuit in Khanty-Mansiysk in 20023 and two Relay golds. On the IBU World Cup circuit, Beck claimed 15 individual victories and 9 relay wins, along with 46 podium finishes—27 individual and 19 relay placements—bringing her career podium tally to an impressive 54.

When I started Biathlon at the age of 12, I never dreamed what I would experience in the following years. In 2010, at the age of 30, I retired, 15 years ago, and I can look back on a great, unforgettable time. Biathlon, like any sport, is made up of emotional moments. I had many emotional highlights, especially the successes with the girls and with the team, and that shaped me. And I will never forget that feeling. But success and defeat go hand in hand. And, of course, I also had downs, but it has made me stronger, and I am very grateful for these experiences too.

Michael Greis carved his name into biathlon history as the eighth—and most recent—German man to win the coveted IBU World Cup Total Score, a feat he achieved during the 2006/2007 season. His career was marked by consistency and versatility, with 15 individual and relay victories and a total of 49 podium finishes in the World Cup.

Greis’s crowning moment came at the Olympic Winter Games Torino 2006, where he delivered a performance for the ages. Dominating the competition, he claimed three gold medals in the Individual, Mass Start, and Men’s Relay, becoming the standout biathlete of the Olympics.

His success extended to the IBU World Championships, where he earned 12 medals, including a memorable Mass Start gold in Antholz-Anterselva in 2007.

My journey in sports is undeniably marked by the three essentials. Friendship, mentorship and resilience. Resilience was a lesson I had to learn. I lived in Ruhpolding with just a salary of 250 euros from the army. But I had big supporters like my family and friends which gave me freedom to go for whatever I wanted and whatever I achieved. After tough years of learning I got my moments during the Olympics, World Champs and also the World Cup. And I could fulfill my childhood dreams. Once again I would thank all of the guys who were part of my journey as a coach, as a friend, or an athlete. So I'm super grateful. Thank you.

Photo: Manzoni/IBU

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