Induction Year: 2012

Lyle Nelson

The biathlon accomplishments of Lyle Nelson, born in 1949, are founded in the sport’s demanding ingredients: discipline, dedication, and determination. A native of McCall, Idaho, Lyle was a highly-acclaimed 1971 graduate of the United States Military Academy and later received a Master’s Degree in business from the University of Southern California. His biathlon skills and expertise helped advance the sport to the lofty position it enjoys worldwide.

Nelson was a member of the U.S. Olympic Biathlon team in 1976, 1980, 1984, and 1988 and winner of 13 National and North American biathlon championships. He served as president of the United States Biathlon Association and was a national TV analyst for Nordic events during the 1994 and 1998 Olympic Winter Games. Nelson served as a sports and venue director during the Olympic Winter Games of 2002 and was the founder and past president of Utah’s Soldier Hollow Legacy Foundation.

An author and editor, Nelson was also president of the Willamette Writers Association, one of the largest writers’ groups in the country.

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