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Robin Munn 11:33 AM on 7 Apr 2006

The biathlon isn't that inexplicable, actually. Like many other Olympic sports (such as the javelin throw, archery, or fencing, just to name a few), it traces its origins back to a military training exercise. In this case, one from Norway, where being able to ski long distances and still shoot accurately was a skill of great value to the Norwegian military. Military units would compete against each other, and eventually the competition rules were formalized and turned into a sport.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biathlon has more if anyone's interested.

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Damien Katz 2:25 PM on 7 Apr 2006

Norm MacDonald does a great bit about a sport where you swim 100 meters and then "strangle a guy".

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jack 3:16 AM on 19 Apr 2006

I totally agree with u. There r traces of military training exercise . Simply superb, great stunt, great sport.
What a sport!!!!!!! Competition and much more.

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Fredrik 9:54 AM on 20 Apr 2006

Modern pentathlon is of course the ultimate military olympic sport: you're stuck behind enemy lines, and have to grab a sword and fight your way out of the enemy camp, steal a horse and ride towards the border, swim over a river, kill the border guards, and finally run like a madman for 2 miles.

I wonder what modern modern pentathlon would look like?

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