Biathlon at the Winter Olympics
Biathlon debuted at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California with the men's 20 km individual event. At the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, the men's 4 × 7.5 km relay debuted, followed by the 10 km sprint event at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. Beginning at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, women's biathlon debuted with the 15 km individual, 3 × 7.5 km relay (4 × 7.5 km during 1994-2002, and 4 × 6 km in 2006), and 7.5 km sprint. A pursuit race (12.5 km for men and 10 km for women) was included at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The top 60 finishers of the sprint race (10 km for men and 7.5 km for women) would qualify for the pursuit event. The sprint winner starts the race, followed by each successive biathlete at the same time interval he/she trailed the sprint winner in that event. At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, a mass start (15 km for men and 12.5 km for women) was introduced where the top 30 biathletes from the previous four events were allowed to start together for the competition.
Biathlon at the Winter Olympics | |
---|---|
Governing body | IBU |
Events | 11 (men: 5; women: 5; mixed: 1) |
Games | |
Note: demonstration or exhibition sport years indicated in italics | |
Prior to the biathlon debut at the 1960 Winter Olympics, there was a military patrol event that was held at four Winter Olympic Games: 1924, 1928, 1936, and 1948. Medals were awarded for military patrol in 1924, but it was a demonstration event for the other three Winter Games.
Events
Men's
• = official event, (d) = demonstration event
Event | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 94 | 98 | 02 | 06 | 10 | 14 | 18 | Years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Military patrol | • | (d) | (d) | (d) | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
individual (20 km) | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 16 | |||||||
relay (4×7.5 km) | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 14 | |||||||||
sprint (10 km) | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 11 | ||||||||||||
pursuit (12.5 km) | • | • | • | • | • | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||
mass start (15 km) | • | • | • | • | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
Total events | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Medal table
As of 2018 Winter Olympics
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Germany (GER) | 19 | 21 | 12 | 52 |
2 | Norway (NOR) | 16 | 15 | 10 | 41 |
3 | Russia (RUS) | 10 | 5 | 8 | 23 |
4 | France (FRA) | 9 | 5 | 12 | 26 |
5 | Soviet Union (URS) | 9 | 5 | 5 | 19 |
6 | Sweden (SWE) | 5 | 3 | 6 | 14 |
7 | Belarus (BLR) | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
8 | East Germany (GDR) | 3 | 4 | 4 | 11 |
9 | Slovakia (SVK) | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
10 | Unified Team (EUN) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
11 | Canada (CAN) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
12 | West Germany (FRG) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
13 | Ukraine (UKR) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
14 | Switzerland (SUI) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
15 | Bulgaria (BUL) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
16 | Finland (FIN) | 0 | 5 | 2 | 7 |
17 | Czech Republic (CZE) | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
18 | Austria (AUT) | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
19 | Italy (ITA) | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
20 | Slovenia (SLO) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
21 | Kazakhstan (KAZ) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Poland (POL) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
23 | Croatia (CRO) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Totals (23 nations) | 86 | 86 | 85 | 257 |
- Notes
- This table includes 1924 military patrol medals.
- 2 silver medals and no bronze were awarded at 2010 men's individual distance.
- 1 silver medal at the 2014 Olympics was stripped and is not redistributed.
Number of biathletes by nation
Nation | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 94 | 98 | 02 | 06 | 10 | 14 | 18 | Years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andorra (AND) | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Argentina (ARG) | 4 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
Australia (AUS) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | |||||||||||||||
Austria (AUT) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 14 | |||||||||
Belarus (BLR) | 11 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
Belgium (BEL) | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgaria (BUL) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 12 | |||||||||||
Canada (CAN) | 5 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | |||||||||||||
Chile (CHI) | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
China (CHN) | 5 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 10 | |||||||||||||
Chinese Taipei (TPE) | 2 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Costa Rica (CRC) | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Croatia (CRO) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Czech Republic (CZE) | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
Denmark (DEN) | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Estonia (EST) | 8 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 8 | |||||||||||||||
Finland (FIN) | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 16 | |||||||
France (FRA) | 4 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 16 | |||||||
Germany (GER) | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | |||||||||||||||
Great Britain (GBR) | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 16 | |||||||
Greece (GRE) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
Guam (GUM) | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungary (HUN) | 1 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |||||||||||||
Italy (ITA) | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 13 | ||||||||||
Japan (JPN) | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 15 | ||||||||
Kazakhstan (KAZ) | 2 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
Kyrgyzstan (KGZ) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Latvia (LAT) | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 8 | |||||||||||||||
Lithuania (LTU) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | |||||||||||||||
Moldova (MDA) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||
Mongolia (MGL) | 4 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Norway (NOR) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 16 | |||||||
New Zealand (NZL) | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Poland (POL) | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 12 | |||||||||||
Puerto Rico (PUR) | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Romania (ROU) | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 13 | ||||||||||
Russia (RUS) | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||
Serbia (SRB) | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Slovenia (SLO) | 5 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||||||||||||||
Slovakia (SVK) | 6 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
South Korea (KOR) | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 9 | ||||||||||||||
Spain (ESP) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
Switzerland (SUI) | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 12 | |||||||||||
Sweden (SWE) | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 16 | |||||||
Ukraine (UKR) | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
United States (USA) | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 16 | |||||||
NOCs no longer compete at the Winter Olympics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czechoslovakia (TCH) | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
East Germany (GDR) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||
Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) | 4 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Serbia and Montenegro (SCG) | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Soviet Union (URS) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 8 | |||||||||||||||
Unified Team (EUN) | 11 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
United Team of Germany (EUA) | 4 | 4 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
West Germany (FRG) | 4 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||
Yugoslavia (YUG) | 1 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
Nations | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 25 | 22 | 28 | 32 | 32 | 34 | 37 | 37 | 36 | 28 | 56 |
Biathletes | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 30 | 51 | 72 | 62 | 74 | 76 | 95 | 90 | 196 | 193 | 183 | 190 | 204 | 221 | 216 | 219 | 1371 |
Year | 24 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 48 | 52 | 56 | 60 | 64 | 68 | 72 | 76 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 92 | 94 | 98 | 02 | 06 | 10 | 14 | 18 |
See also
- List of Olympic venues in biathlon
- Biathlon rifle Anschütz 1827F
References
- The women's relay has been contested over three different distances: 3×7.5 km (1992), 4×7.5 km (1994-2002) and 4×6 km (2006-10)
- http://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/wintersports/story/2011/04/06/sp-ioc-skijumping.html
External links
Media related to Biathlon at the Olympics at Wikimedia Commons