by neijia_boxer on Sun Aug 24, 2008 6:10 pm
This event seems nice for those into classical warrior skills. I had never heard of it until now.
modern pentathalon-
from wikipedia-
The modern pentathlon is a sports contest that includes 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 3 km cross-country run. The epithet modern is important to discern it from the ancient athletics pentathlon – none of the events of modern pentathlon were 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 held 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 until 2012.
The sport is governed by the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM), the International Modern Pentathlon Union.