Modern Pentathlon
Author：tercal From： Updated：2007-11-29
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Sydney, 1 October 2000. Stephanie Cook of Great Britain during the swimming event. Credit: Getty Images/Stu Forster
A young French cavalry officer of the 19th century was sent on horseback to deliver a message. He rode across the uneven terrain, through enemy lines, and was confronted by a soldier with his sword drawn. Challenged to a duel, the officer won, only to have his horse shot out from under him by another enemy soldier.
After felling that soldier with a single shot, the officer ran on. He swam across a raging river, and then finally he delivered the message. So, legend has it, was born the modern pentathlon.
The brainchild of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, the event was based upon the unlucky officer and introduced into the Stockholm Games of 1912. Only remotely resembling the ancient pentathlon inspired by the warmongering Spartans, modern pentathletes shoot, fence, swim, compete in show jumping and run - five events testing endurance as well as athletic versatility.
Discipline's origin
Modern pentathlon was devised by the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin (second president of the International Olympic Committee). He envisioned a competition that would determine the greatest all-around sportsman, similar to the pentathlon of the ancient Olympic Games. In Aristotle's words: "The most perfect sportsmen, therefore, are the pentathletes because in their bodies strength and speed are combined in beautiful harmony."
The modern pentathlon consists of shooting, fencing, swimming, riding, and running. Initially called "military pentathlon", the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) described the choice of events as follows: "The choice of the five diverse and unrelated sports which make up the Modern Pentathlon arose out of the romantic, rough adventures of a liaison officer whose horse is brought down in enemy territory; having defended himself with this pistol and sword he swims across a raging river and delivers the message on foot."
Olympic history
The sport first appeared on the Olympic programme in 1912. The order of the events is as follows: shooting, fencing, swimming, riding and running. The riding is a cross-country steeplechase course. Fencing is a series of one-touch bouts with épée swords. For many years, the shooting was done with a rapid-fire pistol, but this was changed in 1992 to an air pistol. Until the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, the swim was 300 metres freestyle and the run was a 4000 metre cross-country event. In Sydney, however, the distances were changed to 200 metres for swimming and 3000 metres for running, and women competed for the first time.
Modern pentathlon was originally dominated by the Swedes. Since World War II the Hungarians and the Soviets have become the top countries. Scoring was originally done by a points-for-place system with the lowest score winning, but since 1956 the competition has been scored using points tables for each of the five events.
Competition field
The sport of Modern Pentathlon has been called the "true Olympic sport" and the "sport that most accurately conveys the ideals of Olympism.
Shooting
New outdoor ranges should be constructed in such a way that the sun is behind the pentathlete as much as possible during the competition day. For Olympic Games and World Championships the range must be installed indoors.
Shooting distances must be measured from the firing point to the target face. Shooting distance must be as exact as possible, subject to the allowable tolerance of +/- 0.05 m.
Indoor 10m ranges must have artificial illumination providing the necessary amount of light without glare or distracting shadows on the targets or firing points. The entire area must be evenly illuminated with no less than 300 lux. Targets must be illuminated evenly with no less than 1000 lux.
Fencing
The piste must be made from metal, metallic mesh or some substance with a base that is conductive. The resistance of the piste, from one end to the other, must not exceed 5 ohms. The piste is from 1.50 metres to 2.00 metres wide. The piste is 14 metres long, so that each pentathlete being placed at 2 metres from the centre line has at his disposal for retreating a total distance of 5 metres without it being necessary for him to cross the rear limit of the piste with both feet.
The piste is 14 metres long, so that each pentathlete being placed at 2 metres from the centre line has at his disposal for retreating a total distance of 5 metres without it being necessary for him to cross the rear limit of the piste with both feet.
An extension of 1.50 metres to 2 metres is added at each end of the piste on which the pentathletes can retire. The piste must therefore have a total length of 17 to 18 metres.
Swimming
At Ol
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