The modern pentathlon is a sports contest consisting of five events, derived from the Greek root of pente, meaning five. The events are epee fencing, pistol shooting, 200 m freestyle swimming, a show jumping course on horseback, and a cross-country run. The epithet modern is important to discern it from the ancient athletics pentathlon – none of the events of modern penthatlon was part of the ancient Olympics.
The modern pentathlon was invented by the Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games. As the events of the ancient pentathlon were modeled after the skills of the ideal soldier of that time, Coubertin created the contest to simulate the experience of a 19th century cavalry soldier behind enemy lines: he must ride an unfamiliar horse, fight with pistol and sword, swim, and run.
The event was first contested at the 1912 Olympic Games, and was won by Swedish athlete Gösta Lilliehöök.
The modern pentathlon has been on the Olympic program continuously since 1912. A team event was added to the Olympic Games in 1952 and discontinued in 1992 . An event for women was added in 2000 . In non-Olympic years, a World Championship is held, beginning in 1949. Originally the competition took place over four or five days; however in 1996 a one-day format was adopted in an effort to improve the event's commercial image. In spite of the event's strong pedigree in the modern olympics, and its status as the only event created specifically for the modern olympic games, its lack of widespread popularity outside of Eastern Europe has led to calls for its removal from the Olympic games in recent years.
However, a vote by the IOC on July 8, 2005 keeps it in the Olympic Program at least till 2012.
The sport is governed by the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM), the International Modern Pentathlon Union.
Disciplines of the modern pentathlon[]
Shooting[]
Template:Seealso The shooting discipline involves using a 4.5 mm air pistol in the standing position from 10 metres distance at a stationary target. Each competitor has 20 shots, with 40 seconds for each shot.
Fencing[]
Template:Seealso The fencing discipline uses the épée. The competition is a round-robin, with each competitor facing all of the others. Each lasts about one minute, with the first to score a hit winning. If neither fencer scores within one minute, the bout is scored as a double loss.
Swimming[]
Template:Seealso The swimming discipline is a 200 m freestyle race. Competitors are seeded in heats according to their fastest time over the distance.
Riding[]
Template:Seealso The riding discipline involves show jumping over a 350-450 meter course with between 12 and 15 obstacles. Competitors are paired with horses in a draw 20 minutes before the start of the event.
Running[]
Template:Seealso The running discipline involves a 3,000 m cross-country race. Competitors are ranked according to their score from the first four disciplines and given different start times, with the leader going first. The first person to cross the finish line is the overall winner of the pentathlon.
World champions[]
Individual men[]
| Year | Athlete | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Tage Bjurefelt | Sweden (also known as SWE) 
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| 1950 | Lars Hall | Sweden (also known as SWE)
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| 1951 | Lars Hall | Sweden (also known as SWE)
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| 1953 | Gábor Benedek | Hungary (also known as HUN) 
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| 1954 | Björn Thofelt | Sweden (also known as SWE)
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| 1955 | Konstantion Salnikov | Template:URS |
| 1957 | Igor Novikov | Template:URS |
| 1958 | Igor Novikov | Template:URS |
| 1959 | Igor Novikov | Template:URS |
| 1961 | Igor Novikov | Template:URS |
| 1962 | Eduard Sdobnikov | Template:URS |
| 1963 | András Balczo | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 1965 | András Balczo | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 1966 | András Balczo | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 1967 | András Balczo | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 1969 | András Balczo | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 1970 | Péter Kelemen | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 1971 | Boris Onishchenko | Template:URS |
| 1973 | Pavel Lednev | Template:URS |
| 1974 | Pavel Lednev | Template:URS |
| 1975 | Pavel Lednev | Template:URS |
| 1977 | Janusz Pyciak-Peciak | Poland (also known as POL) 
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| 1978 | Pavel Lednev | Template:URS |
| 1979 | Robert Nieman | United States (also known as USA) 
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| 1981 | Janusz Pyciak-Peciak | Poland (also known as POL)
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| 1982 | Daniele Masala | Italy (also known as ITA) 
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| 1983 | Anatoli Starostin | Template:URS |
| 1985 | Attila Mizser | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 1986 | Carlo Massullo | Italy (also known as ITA)
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| 1987 | Joël Bouzou | France (also known as FRA) 
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| 1989 | László Fabian | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 1990 | Gianluca Tiberti | Italy (also known as ITA)
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| 1991 | Arkadiusz Skrzypaszek | Poland (also known as POL)
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| 1993 | Richard Phelps | GBR (also known as GBR) 
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| 1994 | Dmitri Svatkovski | Russia (also known as RUS) 
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| 1995 | Dmitri Svatkovski | Russia (also known as RUS)
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| 1996 | Alexander Parygin | Kazakhstan (also known as KAZ) 
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| 1997 | Sebastien Deleigne | France (also known as FRA)
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| 1998 | Sebastien Deleigne | France (also known as FRA)
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| 1999 | Gábor Balogh | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 2000 | Andrejus Zadneprovskis | Lithuania (also known as LTU) 
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| 2001 | Gábor Balogh | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 2002 | Michal Sedlecký | Czech Republic (also known as CZE) 
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| 2003 | Eric Walther | Germany (also known as GER) 
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| 2004 | Andrejus Zadneprovskis | Lithuania (also known as LTU)
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| 2006 | Edvinas Krungolcas | Lithuania (also known as LTU)
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| 2007 | Viktor Horvath | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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Individual women[]
| Year | Athlete | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | A Ahlgren | Sweden (also known as SWE)
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| 1982 | W Norman | GBR (also known as GBR)
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| 1983 | L Chernobrywy | Canada (also known as CAN) 
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| 1984 | S Jakovleva | Template:URS |
| 1985 | B Kotowska | Poland (also known as POL)
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| 1986 | I Kisselyeva | Template:URS |
| 1987 | I Kisselyeva | Template:URS |
| 1988 | D Idzi | Poland (also known as POL)
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| 1989 | Lori Norwood | United States (also known as USA)
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| 1990 | Eva Fjellerup | Denmark (also known as DEN) 
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| 1991 | Eva Fjellerup | Denmark (also known as DEN)
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| 1992 | I Kowalewska | Poland (also known as POL)
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| 1993 | Eva Fjellerup | Denmark (also known as DEN)
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| 1994 | Eva Fjellerup | Denmark (also known as DEN)
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| 1995 | K Danielsson | Sweden (also known as SWE)
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| 1996 | Janna Dolgaschewa-Schubenok | Belarus (also known as BLR) 
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| 1997 | J Suworowa | Russia (also known as RUS)
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| 1998 | Anna Sulima | Poland (also known as POL)
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| 1999 | Zsuzsanna Vörös | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 2000 | P Svarre | Denmark (also known as DEN)
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| 2001 | Stephanie Cook | GBR (also known as GBR)
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| 2002 | Bea Simoka | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 2003 | Zsuzsanna Vörös | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 2004 | Zsuzsanna Vörös | Hungary (also known as HUN)
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| 2005 | Claudia Corsini | Italy (also known as ITA)
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| 2006 | Marta Dziadura | Poland (also known as POL)
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| 2007 | Amelia Caze | France (also known as FRA)
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