Guide Note

The modern pentathlon is one of 28 sports in the Summer Olympics. Athletes compete in running, swimming, show jumping, fencing and shooting, with medal sets going to the top male and female finishers.¹

Fast Facts

1. Introduced in 1912²
2. Adapted from ancient Olympic events by Baron Pierre de Coubertin¹
3. Men's and women's medal sets awarded³
4. Five events: Running, swimming, equestrian, fencing and shooting¹

Modern pentathlon events at the 2008 Summer Olympics were held on August 21 and August 22, 2008. Andrey Moiseev of Russia took home the gold medal in the men's competition, while Lena Schoneborn of Germany won the gold medal in the women's event.⁴

The first Olympic modern pentathlon was held in 1912 in Stockholm, Sweden. Olympic founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin adapted the modern pentathlon from events at the ancient games. He described the modern pentathlon as "[testing] a man’s moral qualities as much as his physical resources and skills, producing thereby the ideal, complete athlete." The modern pentathlon operated strictly as a men's sport until the 2000 Summer Olympics, when women were allowed to compete for their own medals.²

Since 1996, all of the modern pentathlon events have been held on the same day.² Competitors begin with shooting, for which they have 20 seconds to shoot an air pistol at a target 10 meters away. After shooting, athletes compete in a round-robin fencing event. Next is a 200 meter swim, then the equestrian portion, where competitors are faced with a 15-jump obstacle course. The final event is a 3,000 meter run. The total points acquired by an athlete during the first four events determine their handicap for the running portion.⁵

Summer Olympics 2008 | US Olympic Modern Pentathlon 2008 | Olympics | Summer Olympics | Modern Pentathlon