The 2026 Winter Olympics — the first Olympics co-hosted by two cities (Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy) — figures to offer awe-inspiring displays of athleticism, with competitions spread across 10,000 square miles of northeastern Italy.
Some of Europe’s most breathtaking terrain will serve as the backdrop for the first Winter Games in Italy since Torino hosted the global sporting event 20 years ago.
One of the featured competitions of the 2026 Winter Olympics is biathlon, a sport that originated in Scandinavia in the 18th century. Italy has never won Olympic gold in the competition. Here is everything to know about biathlon:
What is biathlon?
Biathlon combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. It traces back to Scandinavian hunting and military traditions, testing an athlete’s endurance and precision. Athletes race on skis through a course, stopping to shoot at targets from different positions and at varying distances.
What are the rules?
Sprint races: Women athletes compete over distances of 7.5 kilometers, while men cover a 10-kilometer course. Athletes leave the starting gate at fixed intervals (every 30 seconds). Competitors stop twice to shoot at five different targets, using only one shot for each. The winner is the athlete with the lowest net time (time elapsed from start to finish, plus penalty time, if applicable).
Pursuit: Athletes start the race sequentially based on their finishing time (or time behind the winner) in the sprint event. Competitors stop four times to shoot at five different targets, using only one shot for each. The winner is the athlete who crosses the finish line first.
Individual: Women cover 15 kilometers, while men compete over 20 kilometers. Athletes leave the starting gate at fixed intervals (every 30 seconds). Competitors stop four times, attempting to hit five different targets. Athletes suffer a one-minute penalty for each missed target. The winner is the athlete with the lowest net time (time elapsed from start to finish, plus penalty time, if applicable).
Mass start: 30 athletes start at the same time. Women compete over 12.5 kilometers, while men cover a 15-kilometer course. The athletes stop four times to shoot at five different targets, only using one shot for each. The athlete who crosses the finish line first is the winner.
Relay: Athletes compete in teams made up of four. Each athlete tackles a section of the course: 7.5 kilometers each for a total of 30 kilometers for the men and 6 kilometers each for a total of 24 kilometers for the women. It begins with a mass start with the first skiers from each team. Each team member has two shooting sequences (one in the prone position and another standing) and three extra bullets (for a total of eight) to hit the five targets required for each shooting phase. The three extra bullets can be loaded one at a time. Each subsequent team member begins when tagged by the incoming team member in the relay handover zone. The winner is the team whose final member crosses the finish line first.
Mixed 4x6km relay: 20 teams made up of four athletes apiece (two men and two women) each ski 6 kilometers. The event starts with the first skier from each team. Each team member has two shooting sequences: one in the prone position and another standing. Athletes are required to hit five targets and are given three extra bullets (for a total of eight) in each sequence.
What are the biathlon events at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
The biathlon competition will consist of 11 events:
Feb. 8, 2026
▪︎ Mixed relay 4x6km
Feb. 10, 2026
▪︎ Men’s 20km individual
Feb. 11, 2026
▪︎ Women’s 15km individual
Feb. 13, 2026
▪︎ Men’s 10km sprint
Feb. 14, 2026
▪︎ Women’s 7.5km sprint
Feb. 15, 2026
▪︎ Men’s 12.5km pursuit
▪︎ Women’s 10km pursuit
Feb. 17, 2026
▪︎ Men’s 4×7.5km relay
Feb. 18, 2026
▪︎ Women’s 4x6km relay
Feb. 20, 2026
▪︎ Men’s 15km mass start
Feb. 21, 2026
▪︎ Women’s 12.5km mass start
Where will the biathlon events be held at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
The biathlon events will take place at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena in the Antholz Valley of Italy.
How are shooting penalties applied in Olympic biathlon?
Athletes suffer a penalty if they miss a target during a shooting bout. Either extra time is added to their finish time or they have to ski a penalty loop for each missed target, depending on the event.
Individual: One-minute penalty per missed target added to an athlete’s final time.
Sprint: Athletes ski a 150-meter penalty loop (just under 500 feet) for each missed target before starting the next loop.
Pursuit: Athletes ski a 150-meter penalty loop for each missed target before starting the next loop.
Relay: Athletes ski a 150-meter penalty loop for each missed target before starting the next loop.
Mass start: Athletes ski a 150-meter penalty loop for each missed target before starting the next loop.
Mixed 4x6km relay: Athletes ski a 150-meter penalty loop for any unclosed targets after the eighth shot is fired.
What is biathlon’s Olympic history?
Biathlon was featured in the first Winter Olympics in 1924 in Chamonix, France. The race included teams of four military men — an officer, a noncommissioned officer and two soldiers. The military patrol appeared as a demonstration sport at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland, the 1936 Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, and the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
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