Para biathlon
Para biathlon combines cross-country skiing with shooting an air rifle at five targets 10 metres away. Athletes race as vision impaired, standing or sitting; a class percentage turns each skiing time into a calculated time. A guide is compulsory for the most severely vision-impaired class.
New to para biathlon? Start here
How long
Skiing with stops to shoot an air rifle at five targets 10 m away
Lengths are from the rule book.
The big events, and why they matter
- 1Paralympic Winter Games (para biathlon)The top title in para biathlon.Every 4 years · Holder: Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo 2026
- 2World Para Snow Sports Championships (biathlon)The sport's own world title.Every 2 years (to check)
India
India has no medal and is not named in the saved articles [the two pages].
- Para biathlon at the Paralympic Winter Games: No medal; India is not named in the saved articles
- World Para Nordic Skiing Championships: biathlon: No medal in the rows
Countries to know
India and the nations that have done best, biggest titles first.
- RussiaPara biathlon at the Paralympic Winter Games: 29 golds, 32 silvers, 16 bronzes (latest 2018); World Para Nordic Skiing Championships: biathlon: 20 golds, 15 silvers, 14 bronzes (latest 2022)
- UkrainePara biathlon at the Paralympic Winter Games: 25 golds, 34 silvers, 33 bronzes (latest 2026); World Para Nordic Skiing Championships: biathlon: 15 golds, 16 silvers, 16 bronzes (latest 2023)
- GermanyPara biathlon at the Paralympic Winter Games: 23 golds, 15 silvers, 27 bronzes (latest 2026); World Para Nordic Skiing Championships: biathlon: 6 golds, 6 silvers, 8 bronzes (latest 2023)
- ChinaPara biathlon at the Paralympic Winter Games: 12 golds, 7 silvers, 8 bronzes (latest 2026)
- United StatesPara biathlon at the Paralympic Winter Games: 7 golds, 7 silvers, 4 bronzes (latest 2026); World Para Nordic Skiing Championships: biathlon: 6 golds, 4 silvers, 2 bronzes (latest 2023)
Who runs it
| Rules made by | International Biathlon Union (IBU), Para Biathlon Event and Competition Rules, version 2025 |
| International federation | IBU |
| In India | The Paralympic Committee of India is on the MYAS list for 2026; which body runs para biathlon in India is not checked |
Searched 2026-10-20; no Indian body for this para sport was found beyond the PCI.
Where and when it is played
On a ski course with a shooting range. The big events: the Paralympic Winter Games every four years and the World Para Snow Sports Championships.