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Winter Olympics Biathlon
Biathlon refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.
Another popular variant is summer biathlon, which combines cross-country running with riflery, and also modern biathlon and biathle, which combine running with swimming.
The sport has its origins in an exercise for Norwegian soldiers, as an alternative training for the military.
The world's first known ski club, the Trysil Rifle and Ski Club, was formed in Norway in 1861 to promote national defence at the local level.
During the mid-1950s, however, biathlon was introduced into the Russian and Swedish winter sport circuits and was widely enjoyed by the public.
This newfound popularity aided the effort of having biathlon gain entry into the Winter Olympics, where it has later become one of the most cherished sports.
The first World Championship in biathlon was held in 1958 in Austria, and in 1960, the sport was finally included in the Olympic Games.
At Albertville in 1992, women were first allowed in Olympic biathlon.
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