Norway and Germany were the biathlon behemoths of the 2002 Games, nabbing a combined 15 medals -- nearly two-thirds of the 24 medals presented.

The Salt Lake Games also featured two new events, the men's 12.5-kilometer and women's 10-kilometer pursuit races.

Norway, powered by the dominating performance of Ole Einar Bjoerndalen, swept the men's gold medals. Ironman Bjoerndalen competed in the men's 30-kilometer freestyle cross-country race, finishing sixth, before his first biathlon race. But it proved to be the tune-up he needed, as he went on to win all three individual biathlon events, making him the unquestioned Golden Boy of the 2002 Games.

The 28-year-old established several biathlon records, including most gold medals in one Olympics (four) and most biathlete gold medals in a career (five). In addition to winning the individual, sprint and pursuit races, Bjoerndalen helped Norway secure its first-ever Olympic Winter Games gold in the 4 x 7.5-kilometer relay -- breaking the German stranglehold dating back to the 1992 Games.

The German men, known for their marksmanship, made several podium visits. Sven Fischer, Ricco Gross and Frank Luck snagged two medals each, including a come-from-behind silver in the relay. Four-time Olympian Gross now has seven career medals.

France's Raphael Poiree, the defending overall World Cup champion, took home a silver in the 12.5-kilometer-pursuit and a bronze in the relay, his first Olympic Winter Games medals. Other favorites, such as seven-time World Championship medalist Pavel Rostovtsev (RUS), left without a medal.

Bjoerndalen is the third Olympic Winter Games athlete, and the first since the USA's Eric Heiden in the 1980 Games, to capture four golds in one Olympics. Heiden won five in speed skating; Soviet Lydia Skoblikova also won four in speed skating.

The Germans took three of four gold medals in the women's events, establishing themselves as the dominant nation in women's biathlon at the Salt Lake Games.

With near flawless shooting, four-time world junior champion Andrea Henkel (GER) won her country's first gold in the 15-kilometer individual. Next up was young phenom Kati Wilhelm (GER). The 21-year-old proved her 2001 sprint world championship was no fluke by taking gold in the 7.5-kilometer sprint, and followed that with a silver medal in the 10-kilometer pursuit.

The deep German team underscored their ascendancy by also winning the 4 x 7.5-kilometer relay in convincing fashion. Uschi Disl, who skied a torrid second leg, boosted her Olympic Winter Games record medal haul in biathlon with a relay gold and a sprint silver. The 31-year-old now has a career total of eight medals.

Russia's Olga Pyleva prevented a German sweep with some fine marksmanship of her own in the pursuit. It helped her win her first Olympic Winter Games gold medal. She later added a bronze in the relay.

Sweden's Magdalena Forsberg, the best biathlete of her generation and the five-time overall World Cup defending champion, closed out her storied career with her first Olympic Winter Games medals. The Swede is expected to retire after this season. But she had to settle for two bronzes in the individual and sprint events, a disappointing performance for the sport's best athlete.

Liv Grete Poiree (NOR), Forsberg's most consistent rival on the World Cup circuit, also took home two medals -- a silver in the individual and relay. By winning, Poiree and her husband Raphael Poiree (FRA), became the first married couple to win medals in the same Olympic Winter Games for different nations.

--Doug Robson