Biathlon World Championships
The first Biathlon World Championships (BWCH) was held in 1958, with individual and team contests for men. The number of events has grown significantly over the years. Beginning in 1984, women biathletes had their own World Championships, and finally, from 1989, both genders have been participating in joint Biathlon World Championships. In 1978 the development was enhanced by the change from the large army rifle calibre to a small bore rifle, while the range to the target was reduced from 150 to 50 meters. Venues. The Biathlon World Championships of the season takes place during February or  March. Some years it has been necessary to schedule parts of the Championships at other than the main venue because of weather and/or snow conditions. Full, joint Biathlon World Championships have never been held in Olympic Winter Games seasons. Biathlon World Championships in non-IOC events, however, have been held in Olympic seasons. In 2005, the then new event of Mixed Relay (two legs done by women, two legs by men) was arranged separately from the ordinary Championships. Arranged Championships: Upcoming: Men. Bold numbers in brackets denotes record number of victories in corresponding disciplines. Individual (20 km). This event was  first held in 1958. Medal table Sprint (10 km). This event was first held in 1974. Medal table Pursuit (12.5 km). This event was first held in 1997. Medal table Mass start (15 km). This event was first held in 1999. Medal table Relay (4 × 7.5 km). This event was first held unofficially in 1965. It was a success, and replaced the team competition as an official event in 1966. Medal table Team (time). This event was held from 1958 to 1965. The times of the top 3 athletes from each country in the 20 km individual were added  together (in 1958 the top 4). Medal table Team. This event, a patrol race, was held from 1989 to 1998. 1989–93: 20 km. 1994–98: 10 km. Medal table Women. Bold numbers in brackets denotes record number of victories in corresponding disciplines. Individual (15 km). This event was first held in 1984. Through 1988 the distance was 10 km. Medal table Sprint (7.5 km). This event was first held in 1984. Through 1988 the distance was 5 km. Medal table Pursuit (10 km). This event was first held in 1997. Medal table Mass start (12.5 km). This event was first held  in 1999. Medal table Relay (4 × 6 km). This event was first held in 1984. Through 1988, the event was 3 × 5 km. 1989–91: 3 × 7.5 km. 1993–2001: 4 × 7.5 km. In 2003, the leg distance was set to 6 km. Medal table Team. This event, a patrol race, was held from 1989 to 1998. 1989–93: 15 km. 1994–98: 7.5 km. Medal table Mixed. Bold numbers in brackets denotes record number of victories in corresponding disciplines. Mixed Relay. This event was first held in 2005, at the Biathlon World Cup finals in Khanty-Mansiysk. In 2005–20 , the women biathletes did the first two legs and the men did the following two (except 2006 when sequence was woman–man–woman–man), the women's ski legs were 6 km each while men ski legs were 7.5 km each (except 2005, 2006 and 2020 when ski legs were 6 km each for all relay members). Since 2021, the sequence became man–man–woman–woman while leg distance was set to 7.5 km for all relay members. Medal table Single Mixed Relay. This event was first held in 2019. Each team consists of two members - man and woman. The  first of the team members runs the first and third legs (3 km each), the other team member – the second and fourth legs (3 km and 4.5 km respectively). In 2019 and 2020 the women biathletes started single mixed relay and the men biathletes finished it, in 2021 this order was reversed. Medal table Total medals by country. Updated after the 2021 Championships. Multiple medalists. Boldface denotes active biathletes and highest medal count among all biathletes (including these who not included in these tables) per type.