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What is biathlon?

The word “biathlon" is of Greek origin and means "two trials." The combination of cross-country skiing and shooting in modern biathlon is the result of a hunting tradition dating back more than four thousand years. The first recognized biathlon race was organized in 1767 along the border of Sweden and Norway between the border guards of these two countries.

It was not until the beginning of the 20th century that regular competitions were held. This sport was included in the program of the first Olympic Winter Games in 1924 in Chamonix, France, and has been on the program of the Games every year since 1960.

Biathlon is quite popular in Europe and Scandinavia. In addition to the Winter Olympics, the Biathlon World Cup benefits from extensive television coverage. The combination of skills required for biathlon practice and the festive nature of events makes it a very exciting sport to follow. For these reasons biathlon is one of the most-watched winter sports in Europe.

Combining endurance, speed and precision, biathlon is a complete sport that helps develop cardiovascular capacity, muscular strength, coordination and concentration.