Milano Cortina 2026: Introduction to Para biathlon

Ready to dive into the thrill of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games?

From 6–15 March 2026, the world’s best athletes will compete for glory in 79 medal events across six sports: Para alpine skiing, Para biathlon, Para cross-country skiing, Para ice hockey, Para snowboard and wheelchair curling.

Each day, we take a closer look at the six sports featured in the programme and answer all your questions ahead of the Paralympic Games. Today, we’re covering everything you need to know about Para biathlon. 

Milano Cortina 2026: All You Need to Know about Para Biathlon 🎿🔫

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What is Para biathlon?

Para biathlon is an exciting sport combining cross-country skiing and target shooting.

Athletes race different distances around the looped course and between laps, athletes stop and pick up their rifles at the shooting range. They must hit five targets. For each missed shot, competitors either get a time penalty or must ski a penalty loop, depending on the event.

Athletes compete in one of three categories – standing, sitting and vision impaired. Within these three categories, they are grouped into sport classes based on the impact of their impairments on their ability to perform tasks and activities fundamental to their sport.

In standing categories, athletes race other athletes with upper or lower limb impairments, or a combination of both. They shoot in a prone position and their coaches can help position the rifle.

In sitting races, athletes use a sit-ski and power the course with their upper body strength. They shoot in prone position.

Athletes with a vision impairment can ski with a sighted guide who helps them navigate the course through voice. At the range, they are assisted by acoustic signals to help indicate if they are on target. The higher the tone, the more precise to the centre of the target.

Within each category, a formula is used for each sport class to adjust the raw time in order to get the final factored time – and the athlete with the fastest competition result wins.

Para biathlon at Milano Cortina 2026

Para biathlon will feature up to 180 Para athletes who will compete in a total of 18 medal events at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Val di Fiemme.

There will be three days of competition – the men’s and women’s sprint events on 7 March, followed by the men’s and women’s individual events the next day, and the men’s and women’s sprint pursuit events on 13 March.

Men’s

Men’s sprint VI

Men’s sprint standing

Men’s sprint sitting

Men’s sprint pursuit VI

Men’s sprint pursuit standing

Men’s sprint pursuit sitting

Men’s individual VI

Men’s individual standing

Men’s individual sitting

Women’s

Women’s sprint VI

Women’s sprint standing

Women’s sprint sitting

Women’s sprint pursuit VI

Women’s sprint pursuit standing

Women’s sprint pursuit sitting

Women’s individual VI

Women’s individual standing

Women’s individual sitting

Brief history of Para biathlon

Para biathlon was first included in the Paralympic Winter Games at Innsbruck 1988 with standing athletes competing. Four years later at Tignes-Albertville 1992, athletes with vision impairments were also included.

Women’s Para biathlon events, as well as events in the sitting class, were added to the Paralympic programme at Lillehammer 1994.

At Torino 2006, Ukrainian athletes were the first to complete a medal sweep in the sport winning gold, silver and bronze in the women’s 10km sitting.  Ukraine repeated the feat in the women’s 7.5km sitting, as did Russia in the men’s 12.5km sitting.

At Beijing 2022, 86 athletes from 14 nations competed in Para biathlon events. Seven nations had athletes win medals. The Ukrainian duo of Oksana Shyshkova and Vitaliy Lukyanenko, as well as the USA’s Oksana Masters, each won two gold medals.

To date 21 nations have won Paralympic medals in the sport, including 16 that have won gold.  Germany’s Verena Bentele (five gold medals and one bronze medal) and Ukraine’s Vitaliy Lukyanenko are the most successful female and male athletes in the sport respectively.

Five facts about Para biathlon

1. Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium will stage Para biathlon and Para cross-country events at Milano Cortina 2026. Located in Val di Fiemme, this stadium has been hosting major events since 1991 when the Nordic World Ski Championships took place there.

2. When Para biathlon made its Paralympic debut at Innsbruck 1988, there were just three medal events. Fast forward to Milano Cortina 2026, and the sport has grown to feature 18 events.

3. Many Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing athletes also excel in summer sports. Team USA’s Oksana Masters has won Paralympic medals in Para swimming and Para cycling, while Kendall Gretsch claimed Para triathlon gold at Paris 2024. Germany’s Andrea Eskau is a true legend, having competed in Para cycling, Para cross-country skiing, and Para biathlon across eight Games. Discover what Eskau wants you to know about Para biathlon—and her incredible journey.

4. Since making his Paralympic debut at Salt Lake City 2002, Vitaliy Lukyanenko, the most successful male Para biathlete, has claimed eight gold, three silver and a bronze in the sport. Ukraine tops the all-time medals table with 23 gold, 28 silver and 28 bronze medals.

5. With their very first Paralympic biathlon medals won, Chinese athletes made their mark on the tracks of Beijing 2022. China claimed 12 medals in total – four golds, two silver and six bronze – to finish second on the sport’s medal table behind Ukraine.  

Secure your tickets for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games  

Milano Cortina 2026, which takes place from 6-15 March 2026, is set to be the most beautiful Paralympic Winter Games yet. Ticket prices start at EUR 10 for children under 14, with approximately 89 per cent of the tickets available for EUR 35 or less.

For more information, please visit tickets.milanocortina2026.org