Modern Pentathlon

History of Modern Pentathlon

The history of the Modern Pentathlon is quite an eventful one. The Modern Pentathlon consists of FIVE events or disciplines, hence the Pentathlon part in the name. Those five events are Show Jumping, Epee Fencing, Pistol Shooting, Swimming and a Cross Country Run.

The word modern is important in the sports name as there was an ancient Pentathlon competed in, in the ancient Greek Olympics. None of those events however are in the modern day Pentathlon we have now.

The Modern Pentathlon was invented by Baron Pierre de Coubertin who was also the founder of the modern Olympics. Modern Pentathlon is the only sport in the Olympics, created specifically for the Olympic Games. The events of the time were modeled and selected because they were the skills a good soldier should possess. It was his belief that this event, above all others, "tested an athlete's moral qualities as much as their physical resources and skills, producing thereby the ideal, complete athlete."

Baron Pierre de Coubertin wanted to simulate what it would be like to be a cavalry soldier behind enemy lines, that is why he selected the five disciplines that he did. The soldier must be able to run, swim, fight with a sword, shoot with a pistol and ride a horse that is unfamiliar to him. The choice of the five diverse and unrelated sports that make up the Modem Pentathlon arose out of a romantic vision of the wild adventures of a liaison officer whose horse is brought down in enemy territory. He defends himself with his pistol and sword, swims across a raging river and finally delivers the message on foot. Thus the modern pentathlon's five disciplines - show-jumping, shooting, fencing, swimming and cross-country running - were chosen.

Coubertin knew the event would appeal to the military and he felt it would help foster peace by ensuring the world's soldiers could engage in friendly competition. Not surprisingly, it was the military who most enthusiastically adopted this new sport with its inherent demands of courage, coordination, physical fitness, self-discipline and flexibility in ever-changing circumstances. One of such competitor was a young American Lieutenant George Patton from the United States. He took part in the first pentathlon competition in 1912. Patton went on to become world famous during World War II as General George C Patton. While he enjoyed glory on the battlefield, it eluded Patton at the Olympics. He finished fifth, let down by his lack of skill in shooting.

For many years the modem pentathlon was used as part of the final examinations at a number of European military academies until the 1950s, when the International Union of Modern Pentathlon and Biathlon (IUMPB) was founded to conduct annual world championships. At the 1952 Olympics, Lars Hall of Sweden became the first civilian gold medalist in the sport. 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.

In the U. S., the Army was entirely responsible for the development of modern pentathletes through its training center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Civilians were invited to enter the Olympic trials at the center for the first time in 1956. Today, both men and women, competing separately, complete all five events of the Modem pentathlon in one day. A points system for each event is based on a standard performance earning 1,000 points. The winner is the Pentathlete who has accumulated the most points after the five events and crosses the finish line first.

A women's event was brought in, in 2000 at the Sydney Olympics.
The event use to be held over four or five days, but to get commercial appeal, they reduced all the competitions events into one gruelling day.

History of Ancient Pentathlon

The Pentathlon became a Olympic sport with the addition of wrestling in 708 BC and included the following:
Running contests included: the stadion or stade race which was the pre-eminent test of speed, covering the Olympia track from one end to the other (200 m foot race), the diavlos (two stades - 400m foot race), dolichos (ranging between 7 and 24 stades).

Jumping: Athletes used stone or lead weights called halteres to increase the distance of a jump. They held onto the weights until the end of their flight, and then jettisoned them backwards. A flute player, whose sounds underlined the rhythm and musical flow of properly executed jump, at times accompanied the athletes.

Discus throw (mentioned by Homer as one of the Games Achilles, held in honor of Patroclus). The Discus was originally made of stone and later of iron, lead or bronze. The technique was very similar to today's freestyle discus throw.

Javelin throw (also mentioned by Homer as one of the Games Achilles, held in honor of Patroclus).

Athletes attached a thong (leather strap) that formed a loop, at the centre of gravity of the javelin, to make the grip more secure and stabilize the javelin in flight.

There were two events that involved the javelin throw: one was for distance and the other for accuracy. Wrestling was highly valued as a form of military exercise without weapons. It ended only when one of the contestants admitted defeat.

Boxing was added to the Games in 688 BC. It was mentioned by Homer and the god Apollo is considered to be its founder. Boxers wrapped straps (himantes) around their hands to strengthen their wrists and steady their fingers. These straps were first soft but as time progressed, boxers started using hard leather straps, often causing the disfiguring of their opponent's face.

Pankration was added to the Games in 648 BC
It was a primitive form of martial art combining wrestling and boxing, and was considered to be one of the toughest sports. Greeks believed that it was founded by Theseus when he defeated the fierce Minotaur in the labyrinth.

Equestrian Events included horse races and chariot races and took place in the Hippodrome, a wide, level, open space. Poseidon, the patron deity of the equestrian competitions, is said to have sired the famous horse Areion with which Herakles defeated Kyknos, the son of Ares, in a horse race at Troizen.

According to mythology, the pentathlon was invented by Jason. He combined the five events, and awarded the prize to his friend Peleus (who had come in second in everything but wrestling, in which he placed first). The Pentathlon represented the climax of the Games: the winner received the title of' 'Victor Ludorum' and had to proclaim a poem about his victory to the spectators.

Aristotle about ancient pentathlon (Aristotle, Rhetoric)
"Beauty varies with each age. In a young man, it consists in possessing a body capable of enduring all efforts, either of the racecourse or of bodily strength, while he himself is pleasant to look upon and a sheer delight. This is why the athletes in the pentathlon are most beautiful, because they are naturally adapted for bodily exertion and for swiftness of foot." "For one who is able to throw his legs about in a certain way, to move them rapidly and with long strides, makes a good runner; one who can hug and grapple, a good wrestler; one who can thrust away by a blow of the fist, a good boxer; one who excels in boxing and wrestling is fit for the pancratium, he who excels in all for the pentathlon." "The most perfect sportsmen, therefore, are the pentathletes because in their bodies strength and speed are combined in beautiful harmony." Admiration for the ancient pentathlon was fully shared by the founder of the Modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, and he expressed his support for the concept of pentathlon most eloquently and forcefully in his Memoires Olympiques published in 1931. From 1909, he tried to have the event re-introduced into the Olympic program and after two failed attempts, Pentathlon's moment came at the 19th meeting of the International Olympic Committee in Budapest (HUN) when as the Baron stated: "the Holy Ghost of sport illuminated my colleagues and they accepted a competition to which I attach great importance".

Modern Pentathlon Scoring
Each event of Modern Pentathlon is scored on a 1000 points scale. For the timed events, (swimming and running) there are set times that equals 1000 points. Each second more or less than these times is accessed a plus or minus point value. The skill events are scored similarly in that there is a goal of shooting target points, fencing victories and a clean ride to maximize the points possible for each event.

Shooting Scoring
20 shots on a ten-ringed target can give maximum 200 shooting points. 172 shooting points is equal to 1000 pentathlon points. Every shooting point is worth +/-12 pentathlon points.

Fencing Scoring
The 1000 point score is obtained for winning 70% of the available bouts. Each win is called a victory and each loss a defeat. Each victory above or below this 70% mark is worth a specific point value. How much each victory above or below 70 % is worth depends on how many competitors there are. The most common are:

22-23 matches gives +/- 40 points
24-26 matches gives +/- 36 points
27-29 matches gives +/- 32 points
30-33 matches gives +/- 28 points
34-39 matches gives +/- 24 points

Example: 32 competitors (= the number of people in the final) mean that there are 31 matches for each athlete. 70 % of 31 are 22. 20 victories are therefore worth 944 points.

The time to get 1000 points for men is 2 minutes 30 seconds and for women 2 minutes 40 seconds.
Every 0.33 second is worth 4 points.
Example: The time 2 minutes 32.8 seconds corresponds to 968 points for men and 1088 points for women.

A fault free ride within "the standard time" ( 1 min - 1.17 min) is worth 1200 points.
For each mistake the rider loose points:
Every knock down gives 28 points deduction.
Every refusal or disobedience to jump gives 40 points. But any disobedience leading to the knocking down of an obstacle gives 60 points deduction. After two refusals to jump the rider must try to jump the next obstacle. For every not jumped obstacle the athlete loose 80 points.
A fall of the rider from the horse or both fall gives 40 points. After two falls the riding will be terminated and the rider will have a further 300 points deduction.
Every second above the standard time gives 4 points in deduction. The maximum time is the standard time + 60 s. If the ride is slower than the maximum time the riding is terminated and the rider gives minus 240 points and also a deduction of 80 points for each obstacle he didn't jump.

Running Scoring
The time 10 minutes for men and 11 minutes 20 seconds is worth 1000 points. Every whole second is worth 4 points. Example: The time 10 minutes 40.8 seconds is worth 840 points for men and 1160 points for women.

Details for each Modern Pentathlon Event:

Pistol Shooting
Shooting is normally the first discipline in competitions. The shooting event, originally a 22-caliber pistol shot from 25 meters at a turning target, has become a 10-meter air pistol shot at a stationary target. Competitors fire 20 shots at 20 targets from a distance of 10 metres with a time limit of 40 seconds for each shot. A 4.5 millimetre air pistol is used. The targets have 10 rings and a centre circle. One point is scored for the outside ring, two for the next ring and so on. Ten points are scored for a hit in the centre circle. If a shot hits the line between two rings the higher score is counted. Competitors must stand to shoot holding the pistol, which must weigh less than 1,500 grams, with one hand. Two 2.5 minute warm-up periods are allowed for each shooter. Athletes are allowed five minutes to repair a pistol which malfunctions during the event, and can apply for further repair time if it is required. When the competitor has completed his or her 20 shots, his or her results are converted into a points score. The maximum target score is 200, which converts to 1,336 points. A target score of 172 equates to 1,000 points, with every target point above or below 172 adding or taking 12 points from the pentathlon score. Shooting takes place inside a pavilion using electronic targets.

Epee Fencing
Fencing is a series of one-touch bouts with epee swords. As in 1912, the fencing portion of the modern pentathlon is a round robin-tournament, with a single touch deciding each match. Fencing event is held in an indoor area, on special aluminium corridors (pistes), measuring 18m long and between 1.5 and 2m wide. Each competitor has a bout against every other competitor using the epee. Bouts last for one minute, the winner being the first fencer to score a hit. If neither scores a hit, both lose. If athletes hit one another within 0.04 of a second (a double hit), neither hit is registered. Point penalties are awarded for a variety of infringements including hitting the sword on anything other than the opponent to register a hit, crossing the boundary line with both feet or to avoid a hit, dangerous play and when a fencer turns his or her back on the opponent. The 1000 point score is obtained for winning 70% of the available bouts. Each win is called a victory and each loss a defeat. Each victory above or below this 70% mark is worth a specific point value. How much each victory above or below 70 % is worth depends on how many competitors there are. The most common are:

22-23 matches gives +/- 40 points
24-26 matches gives +/- 36 points
27-29 matches gives +/- 32 points
30-33 matches gives +/- 28 points
34-39 matches gives +/- 24 points

Example: 32 competitors (= the number of people in the final) mean that there are 31 matches for each athlete. 70 % of 31 are 22. 20 victories are therefore worth 944 points.

Swimming
Pentathletes usually have a swimming background, which is considered to be the only Pentathlon discipline that cannot be taught at a high level at an older age. For this reason, good swimming standards are considered to be a precondition for participation in Modern pentathlon. The swimming event is a free-style race over 200 m for men and women with athletes seeded in heats according to their personal best time. A time of 2:30 minutes equates to 1,000 points for men, while 2:40 minutes scores 1,000 points for women. Every tenth of a second below or above those figures increases or decreases the competitors' scores by a point. Times are not rounded up or down to the nearest tenth of a point, so a time of 2:29.01 minutes scores the same number of points as 2:29.09 minutes. Forty-point penalties are incurred for two false starts or failing to touch the wall at the end of a lap.

Riding - Equestrian Show Jumping
The riding event (equestrian show jumping) included in the modern pentathlon competition involves jumping over hurdles of a maximum height of 1.20m. The hurdles course has a length of 350 to 450m length, and includes 12 hurdles (15 jumps) with one double and one triple jump. Athletes compete with horses provided by the organisers, which are selected through a random draw 20 minutes prior to the commencement of the event. For warm-up and preparation purposes, athletes are allowed to ride their allocated horse for 20 minutes and to have up to five trial jumps in the auxiliary exercise area provided for the purpose. The athlete has a specific time limit within which to compete the course, according to its length. A time limit is set for the course, equating to one minutes for every 350m in length. A fault free ride within "the standard time" ( 1 min - 1.17 min) is worth 1200 points. For each mistake the rider loose points: Every knock down gives 28 points deduction. Every refusal or disobedience to jump gives 40 points. But any disobedience leading to the knocking down of an obstacle gives 60 points deduction. After two refusals to jump the rider must try to jump the next obstacle. For every not jumped obstacle the athlete loose 80 points. A fall of the rider from the horse or both fall gives 40 points. After two falls the riding will be terminated and the rider will have a further 300 points deduction. Every second above the standard time gives 4 points in deduction. The maximum time is the standard time + 60 s. If the ride is slower than the maximum time the riding is terminated and the rider gives minus 240 points and also a deduction of 80 points for each obstacle he didn't jump. Competitors can walk the course before riding begins. Riders must stay between the flags marking the course and must jump the obstacles in order. Riders must wear protective headgear and a riding jacket and can use a whip and spurs, but hoods and blinkers are prohibited.

Cross-Country Running
Being the last event, the running has major significance and constitutes the last chance for athletes to catch up on possible point losses sustained in the previous events. This event consists of a cross-country race conducted on an uneven terrain or on a public road and over a distance of 3 km (3,000 m) for both men and women. Completing this course within 10 minutes and zero seconds for men, and within 11 minutes and 20 seconds for women adds 1,000 points to the overall score of the athlete. The starting order of the running event is arranged based on the handicap system, according to which the score of the athletes after the first four Pentathlon sports is totalled up, and the differences in their standings are converted into different starting times. This procedure is followed because the order in which the athletes finish is also the final standing in the competition. This handicap starting system was adopted for two main reasons. Firstly, spectators can directly assess the finishing order. Secondly, the athletes are motivated to overtake as many competitors as they can, since they are competing against their opponents and not just the clock.

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