biathlon
noun
bi·ath·lon
bī-ˈath-lən 
-ˌlän
: a composite athletic contest consisting of cross-country skiing and rifle sharpshooting
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A winter sports event, the biathlon combines cross-country skiing with rifle sharpshooting. It originated in Scandinavian hunting. It was first included in the Winter Olympics program in 1960. Competitors cover a 20-km (12.5-mile) course, carrying a rifle and ammunition. They stop at four points to fire five shots at small targets. Relay and 10-km events were added in 1968 and 1980 respectively.
Examples of biathlon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
So in between enjoying curling, the luge, the biathlon, and hockey, take a gander at our rundown.
—
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 29 July 2024
The next Invictus Games will be held in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada in February 2025, and winter sports like alpine skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, Nordic skiing, skeleton and wheelchair curling will be introduced for the first time.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 5 Sep. 2024
Skiers and snowboarders have seen firsthand the changes that, according to a 2022 Canadian study, could render all but one of the previous 21 Winter Olympics cities too warm to reliably host downhill races, biathlons and halfpipe competitions by the end of the century.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2024
But if that’s not enough, the swimming portion of the race will be canceled entirely, turning it into a summer biathlon with only running and biking.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 28 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for biathlon 
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Tim Grierson, Vulture, 29 July 2024
The next Invictus Games will be held in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada in February 2025, and winter sports like alpine skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, Nordic skiing, skeleton and wheelchair curling will be introduced for the first time.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 5 Sep. 2024
Skiers and snowboarders have seen firsthand the changes that, according to a 2022 Canadian study, could render all but one of the previous 21 Winter Olympics cities too warm to reliably host downhill races, biathlons and halfpipe competitions by the end of the century.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2024
But if that’s not enough, the swimming portion of the race will be canceled entirely, turning it into a summer biathlon with only running and biking.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 28 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for biathlon
Dictionary Entries Near biathlon
Cite this Entry
“Biathlon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biathlon. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.
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