Modern Pentathlon: Then and now

Modern Pentathlon has its origins in a 19th-century legend. It is said that a young French cavalry officer was sent on horseback to deliver a message.

To complete his mission he had to ride, fence, shoot, swim and run – the same five challenges that face competitors in Modern Pentathlon today.

How to play – and win

Athletes compete in five different sports. The order of events is Shooting, Fencing, Swimming, Riding and Cross-Country Running.

Points are awarded according to how well the athletes do in the first four events. These decide the starting positions for the final event - the cross-country run. The winner is the one who crosses the finish line first.

Modern Pentathletes need all-round fitness as the whole competition takes place in just one day.

Modern Pentathlon in the Games

Modern Pentathlon has been part of every Games since Stockholm 1912. The sport was invented by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who founded the modern Olympic movement.

He saw the event as the equivalent of the Pentathlon at the ancient Games, which was introduced for the first time at the 18th Olympiad in 708 BC, probably by the Spartans as a method of training soldiers.

It consisted of running the length of the stadium, jumping, throwing the spear, throwing the discus and wrestling.

The Pentathlon held a position of unique importance in the Games and was considered to be the climax, with the winner ranked as ‘Victor Ludorum’ (‘Winner of Games’).

Facts about Modern Pentathlon

• Until Atlanta 1996, the Modern Pentathlon competition was held over four or five days.
• Greek philosopher Aristotle described competitors in the Pentathlon of the ancient Games as “the most perfect sportsmen, because in their bodies strength and speed are combined in beautiful harmony”.
• George S Patton, who later became General of the US Army, competed in the first Olympic Modern Pentathlon at the Stockholm 1912 Games.

Jargon buster

• En garde: French for ‘on guard’, the position that fencers take before a bout begins.
• Freestyle: A race where the swimmers may use any stroke they choose – usually the crawl.
• Handicap Start: the type of start used in the running event where the leader starts first and then athletes start after them depending on how far they are behind them after the four events.

Get involved

If you like an all-round challenge, Modern Pentathlon could be for you.

The best way to get started is to contact the Modern Pentathlon Association of Great Britain (see 'related websites').