Biathlon, sport in which cross-country skiers race across hilly terrain, occasionally stopping to shoot with rifles at sets of fixed targets. The biathlon features the 10-km (6.2-mi) sprint, in which contestants shoot at two sets of targets; the 12.5-km (7.8-mi) pursuit, in which contestants shoot four times and start at intervals determined by their finish in the sprint; the 20-km (12.5-mi) race with four shooting stops; and a relay race with four 7.5-km (4.7-mi) legs and two shooting stops per leg. The women's individual races are shorter: a 7.5-km (4.7-mi) sprint, a 10-km (6.2-mi) pursuit, and a 15-km (9.3-mi) race. Competitors are penalized for each missed target by having a standard length added to the course distance that they must complete, or by having a minute added to their time. The control of fine motor skills and breathing required to shoot after the skiing segment makes this a demanding sport. Biathlon competition developed from the military training of ski troops. The sport first became an official part of the Winter Olympics in 1960. Biathlon has also recently acquired meaning as applied to a combined two-sport competition, such as running and swimming.
Sprinting up a long flight of stairs before threading a needle gives an idea of what it's like to compete in Biathlon. This sport combines the endurance of cross-country skiing with the precision and calm of marksmanship.Biathlon originated long ago. Examples of ancient people using skis and weapons abound. Ancient hunters and warriors discovered that they could preserve energy and increase efficiency by combining skiing and shooting. Rock paintings dating to around 3000 BC show hunters with bow and arrows moving on wooden sliders. Hunting on skis was practiced in Northern Europe, Asia and North America. Chinese hunters tracked wildlife using "winged horses" on the feet as they moved through the snow. During the Middle Ages shooting on skis became a popular form of warfare and by the end of the 19th century, soldiers were being trained on skis in Scandinavia, Russia, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. …
