Biathlon

Biathlon is a sports in the [Winter Olympic Games]? involving snow skiing and the shooting of a rifle.

The sport dates back to 1767, with a competition between Swedish and Norwegian border patrol units. The sport was a demonstration event in the first modern Winter Olympic Games in 1924, and became a regular Olympic event in the 1960 games.

The [International Biathlon Union]? (IBU) is a recognized international standards body for the sport. The IBU currently recognizes six separate biathlon events: Individual Competition, Sprint Competition, Relay Competition, Team Competition, Pursuit Competition, and Mass Start Competition.

The guns used in the competition are .22LR caliber bolt-action rifles with non-optical sights. The guns are fired at various stages of the game at metallic targets. The skis used are cross-country skate skis, which are shorter than the traditional Nordic style.