What is biathlon in Winter Olympics 2022? Which events make up Olympic sport, origins and red bib explained

One of the great joys of the Winter Olympics is the manner in which it brings the average sports fan into contact with events and disciplines that might otherwise pass them by.

As the 2022 games get into full swing over in Beijing, viewers are in for a feast of wintry action, but that can also mean a steep learning curve for casual spectators - especially when events combine more than one discipline.

One of the best examples of this is biathlon, a hybrid event that combines the endurance of cross country skiing with the accuracy and poise of shooting.

It’s the kind of unexpected crossover that makes the Winter Olympics such an intriguing spectacle, but it can also be a tad confusing for newcomers to the sport.

With that in mind, we’ve gathered everything you need to know about the event below...

What is biathlon?

Biathlon is an event that combines cross country skiing with shooting.

Athletes compete in a standard cross country race, but had to stop at various intervals to shoot at targets with an eight-pound rifle they have been carrying on their back throughout.

Missed targets cost time and sometimes require racers have to ski a 150-meter penalty lap, depending on race format.

At the Olympics, biathlon events consist of individual (a time trial of about 20km for men and 15km for women), sprint (10km for men and 7.5km for women), pursuit (in which skiers start at timed intervals based on their finishes in the sprint event), mass start (in which a selection of the highest ranked athletes from other events all set of at once), and relays for men, women and mixed gender teams.

What are the origins of biathlon?

Biathlon is understood to have evolved from the skiing and hunting traditions of Scandinavia.

In modern times, a similar activity was developed by the Norwegian military as an alternative training exercise, with regiments organising contests from as early as the 18th century.

In terms of biathlon’s status as an Olympic sport, the event was first contested at the 1924 Winter games in Chamonix, France. At that time it was known as military patrol, however, and was a team discipline.

The first individual men’s biathlon took place at the 1960 games, while the first women’s competitions didn’t take place until 1992.

What is the significance of the red bib?

Occasionally, certain athletes will be seen in wearing a red bib, donating their status as the leader of a specific race format.

As such, the competitor wearing the red bib may change over the course of a biathlon event.

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