The biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. It is treated as a race, with contestants skiing through a cross-country trail whose distance is divided into shooting rounds. The shooting rounds are not timed per se, but depending on the competition, missed shots result in extra distance or time being added to the contestant's total.
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 18 February 1968 in Grenoble, France. Thirty-seven countries participated. Frenchman Jean-Claude Killy won three gold medals in all the alpine skiing events. In women's figure skating, Peggy Fleming won the only United States gold medal. The games have been credited with making the Winter Olympics more popular in the United States, not least of which because of ABC's extensive coverage of Fleming and Killy, who became overnight sensations among teenage girls.
Alpine skiing at the 1968 Winter Olympics consisted of six events, held 9–17 February at Chamrousse, southeast of Grenoble, France. Jean-Claude Killy of France won all three men's events, repeating Toni Sailer's triple-gold of 1956. Since Killy's feat, no male alpine ski racer has won three gold medals in a single Olympics..
Biathlon at the 1968 Winter Olympics consisted of two biathlon events, held at Autrans. The events began on 9 February and ended on 11 February 1968. This was the first Olympics to feature more than one biathlon race, as the 4 x 7.5 kilometre relay made its debut.
The Men's 4 x 7.5 kilometre biathlon relay competition at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy was held on 21 February, at Cesana San Sicario. Each national team consisted of four members, with each skiing 7.5 kilometres and shooting twice, once prone and once standing.
The Men's 4 x 7.5 kilometre biathlon relay competition at the 1998 Winter Olympics 21 February, at Nozawa Onsen. Each national team consisted of four members, with each skiing 7.5 kilometres and shooting twice, once prone and once standing.
The Men's 10 kilometre sprint biathlon competition at the 1992 Winter Olympics was held on 12 February, at Les Saisies. Competitors raced over three loops of the skiing course, shooting two times, once prone and once standing. Each miss was penalized by requiring the competitor to race over a 150-metre penalty loop.
The Men's 4 x 7.5 kilometre biathlon relay competition at the 1992 Winter Olympics was held on 16 February at Les Saisies. Each national team consisted of four members, with each skiing 7.5 kilometres and shooting twice, once prone and once standing.
The Women's 7.5 kilometre sprint biathlon competition at the 1992 Winter Olympics was held on 11 February, at Les Saisies. Competitors raced over two 2.5 kilometre loops and one 3.0 kilometre loop of the skiing course, shooting two times, once prone and once standing. Each miss was penalized by requiring the competitor to race over a 150-metre penalty loop.
The Women's 3 x 7.5 kilometre biathlon relay competition at the 1992 Winter Olympics 14 February, at Les Saisies. Each national team consisted of three members, with each skiing 7.5 kilometres and shooting twice, once prone and once standing.
The men's 4 x 7.5 kilometre biathlon relay competition at the 1988 Winter Olympics 23 February, at Canmore Nordic Centre. Each national team consisted of four members, with each skiing 7.5 kilometres and shooting twice, once prone and once standing.
The Men's 4 x 7.5 kilometre biathlon relay competition at the 1984 Winter Olympics 17 February, at Igman - Veliko Polke. Each national team consisted of four members, with each skiing 7.5 kilometres and shooting twice, once prone and once standing.
The Men's 4 x 7.5 kilometre biathlon relay competition at the 1980 Winter Olympics took place on 22 February, at Lake Placid Olympic Sports Complex Cross Country Biathlon Center. Each national team consisted of four members, with each skiing 7.5 kilometres and shooting twice, once prone and once standing.
The Men's 4 x 7.5 kilometre biathlon relay competition at the 1976 Winter Olympics took place on 13 February, at Seefeld. Each national team consisted of four members, with each skiing 7.5 kilometres and shooting twice, once prone and once standing.
The Men's 4 x 7.5 kilometre biathlon relay competition at the 1972 Winter Olympics took place on 11 February, at Makomanai Biathlon Site. Each national team consisted of four members, with each skiing 7.5 kilometres and shooting twice, once prone and once standing.
The men's 20 kilometre individual biathlon competition at the 1968 Winter Olympics was held on 12 February, at Autrans. Each miss of the target cost two minutes, while hitting the outer circle cost one minute.
The Men's slalom competition of the Grenoble 1968 Olympics was held at Chamrousse.
The Women's Downhill competition of the Grenoble 1968 Olympics was held at Chamrousse on Saturday, 10 February.
William Allen Spencer competed in the 1964 and 1968 Winter Olympics on the United States Biathlon Team. Bill Spencer died on Thursday, December 3, 2020. He was 84 years old.
France competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.
