As a combination of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, biathlon requires not only speed and endurance for long distance skiing, but also great control and stability to overcome exhaustion and hit a rifle target at 50 meters. Believed to has its roots in ski hunting in the past, biathlon made its Olympic debut at the 1960 Squaw Valley Games, but an antiquated form of it – military patrol – had already featured at the Olympics four times.
The 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, will feature four events of biathlon: Men's 10km Sprint, Men's 4x7.5km Relay, Women's 7.5 km Sprint and Women's 4x6km Relay.