Modern Pentathlon

The idea for the modern pentathlon sport came from the IOC founder Pierre de Coubertin in 1909. Up until World War II, modern pentathlon was reserved for privileged members of the police and military.

Modern pentathlon is an all-around sport in which 5 disciplines are fought in one day. These are for men and women: shooting (air pistol), fencing (epee), swimming, show jumping and cross country. The results are converted into points. In contrast to the triathlon, the 5 disciplines are not carried out one after the other, but are separated by at least one hour.

The stress on different muscle groups is particularly difficult in the modern pentathlon. In the disciplines of running and swimming, speed and endurance are required, in the disciplines of horseback riding, shooting and fencing, the ability to concentrate, the ability to introduce oneself, calmness and technique are important.

The Modern Pentathlon was developed specifically as an Olympic competition and was first held during the 1912 Summer Games in Stockholm. A team competition was held for the first time at the Summer Olympics in 1952, and in 2000 there was also a competition for women. World Championships have been held in the non-Olympic years since 1949. The team competition has not been held since 1992.

The governing body of the sport is the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM), which was founded in 1948. Performance centers are located in Germany in Berlin, Potsdam, Heidenheim, Bonn, Marktoberdorf and Darmstadt.