PyeongChang 2018: Spotlight on biathlon

The PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games will feature biathlon individual, middle and long distance races across all men's and women's categories. Competitions will take place on 10, 13 and 16 March.

When biathlon was first introduced to the Paralympic Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1988, only athletes with a physical impairment could compete. Visually impaired athletes became eligible to compete four years later in Tignes-Albertville, France.

Para biathletes are separated into standing, sitting and vision impaired categories for competition according to their sports class.

Some of the top biathletes competing at PyeongChang 2018 are Canada's Mark Arendz, Germany's Martin Fleig, USA's Oksana Masters, and Ukraine's Oksana Shyshkova and Taras Rad.

Masters and Germany's Sochi 2014 gold medallist Anja Wicker will go head to head in one of the most interesting women's sitting races.

In an all-Ukrainian rivalry, Liudmyla Liashenko will hope to defy Sochi 2014 Paralympic champion Oleksandra Kononova; while Belarus has golden dreams through three-time biathlon bronze medallist Vasili Shaptsiaboi in the men's vision impaired.

The Alpensia Biathlon Centre, located in the PyeongChang Mountain Cluster, will host all biathlon events.

More about biathlon can be found on the official PyeongChang 2018 website

Tickets for PyeongChang 2018 can be purchased here.