History
The Pentathlon was the climax of the games in ancient Greece. Since its appearance at the modern Games, it has undergone a great deal of evolution.
Ancient disciplines The Ancient Pentathlon consisted of running, jumping, spear-throwing, discus and wrestling. The Pentathlon held a position of unique importance, with the winner ranked as "Victor Ludorum".
Modern format The Modern Pentathlon was introduced by Baron de Coubertin at the Stockholm Games in 1912, comprising pistol shooting, fencing, swimming, horse riding and running. It was his belief that this event would test "a man’s moral qualities as much as his physical resources and skills, producing thereby a complete athlete.”
From five to one From 1912 to 1980 the Olympic Modern Pentathlon was held over five days with one event per day. Now, the event is held over one day. Competitors score points in the first four events, which decide their starting position in the final 3,000m run. The first one over the line wins the gold medal.
Gathering crowds The change to the current format held over one day helped spectators to understand and connect with the sport, making it a more attractive spectacle.
Equipment
Airpistol A pistol that uses compressed air or carbon dioxide to discharge lead pellets.
Target Manual or Electronic targets marked with concentric circles.
Epee Descended from the dueling sword, similar in length to a foil but heavier, with a larger guard and a much stiffer blade.
Obstacle An object a horse must clear to complete the course, such as a fence, gate or water jump.
Piste Fencing mat made from metal, metallic mesh or some substance with a base that is conductive.
Pool 50 m long and a minimum 21 m wide with touch panels of electronic timing equipment at starting end. Pool must be 1.80m deep throughout.
Competition area A riding course of 350–450m length consisting of 12 obstacles, a combination of two elements (a double) and another of three elements (a triple).
International association
The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) was founded in 1948.The event’s Olympic debut came at the 1912 Stockholm Games.
Format and participation Previously held over four to five days, Modern Pentathlon’s current “One Day” format has resulted in a more exciting spectator spectacle. At the Beijing 2008 Games, it was a sell-out event contested by 32 men and 32 women.
Scoring and order Pentathletes achieve performance-related points in each discipline. The first event is a 40-second rapid-fire shooting contest, followed by a round-robin fencing competition, a 200m freestyle swimming race, a 12-obstacle show jumping contest and, to finish, a grueling 3,000 m run with a handicap start.
Exciting finale More than anything, the introduction of a handicap start to the 3,000m run helped to really engage and excite spectators. Competitors set off at intervals which correspond in seconds to the overall points difference between themselves and the athlete preceding them. By structuring it this way, the athlete that crosses the finish line first wins the gold medal.
(Source: olympic.org)
