Single Mixed Relay in Biathlon Included in Winter Olympics Program for First Time

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially confirmed that the single mixed relay in biathlon will be included in the program of the 2030 Winter Olympics, to be held in the French Alps. This will be the debut of the discipline at the Olympic Games, and biathlon will feature a record 12 medal events. In the previous four Olympics, biathletes competed for 11 sets of medals. The last expansion of the medal program occurred at the 2014 Sochi Games, when the regular mixed relay was introduced for the first time.

The single mixed relay first appeared in the Biathlon World Cup in 2015 and was included in the World Championship program in 2019. The first world champions in this discipline were Norwegians Johannes Thingnes Bø and Marte Olsbu Røiseland. This duo has won a total of three world titles in the single mixed relay.

Estonia has also achieved significant results in the single mixed relay. At the 2020 World Cup stage in Pokljuka, Regina Ermits and Rene Zahkna took second place.

In the single mixed relay, the team consists of one man and one woman who alternate after each lap. Each participant completes four shooting stages.

Earlier, it was announced that synchronized skating has been included in the 2030 Olympic program, while Nordic combined has been removed.