US EditionWhat Kind of Gun Do They Use in Biathlon? A Closer Look at the Cross-Sport Event
Olympic biathletes use .22-caliber rifles weighing at least 8 lbs with manual loading to ensure safety and fairness in the combined skiing and shooting event.
- At Antholz , Italy, biathlon competitions are scheduled from Feb. 8 to Feb. 21 with 11 events on the program.
- After debuting in 1960 at Olympic Valley, biathlon combines skiing and marksmanship, tracing roots to 1924 military patrol and evolving into a modern Olympic sport.
- • Athletes carry.22-caliber rifles that shoot rimfire ammunition, must be manually loaded, and meet specific weight and action restrictions, stopping two to four times to shoot at targets with five targets per segment.
- Missed shots trigger penalties that often decide outcomes, and missed targets bring either a 150m penalty loop or a one-minute time penalty in the 11 biathlon events.
- Depending on the format, athletes can ski between 4.6 miles and 18.6 miles, requiring efficiency in freestyle technique and endurance at the high-altitude venue, over 5,367 feet above sea level.
15 Articles
15 Articles
What is the biathlon? We explain as US Olympic team prepares for 2026
What is the biathlon? We explain as US Olympic team prepares for 2026. Biathlon combines two sports – cross-country skiing and shooting – into one race. The biathlon first made its debut 66 years ago in the 1960 Winter Olympics at the renamed Palisades Tahoe in Olympic Valley near Lake Tahoe. This…
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What kind of gun do they use in biathlon? A closer look at the cross-sport event
Olympic biathletes shoot at targets using .22-caliber rifles while racing on cross-country skis. Here’s a closer look at the combined sporting event. (Photo: AP)
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