The History of the Modern Pentathlon

Admiration for the ancient pentathlon was fully shared by the founder of the modem Olympic Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin. He persuaded the Olympic Committee to introduce Modem Pentathlon at the 5th Olympic Games of the modem era in Stockholm, Sweden in 1912.

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."

The legend of modern pentathlon is of a Napoleonic cavalry officer who is sent to deliver an urgent dispatch. Given an unfamiliar horse, he rode across challenging terrain under enemy fire shooting a number of his pursuers. His ammunition expended, he was then confronted by a soldier with his sword drawn. He won the duel and remounted his horse only to reach a river which his steed could not cross. Our gallant hero swam the river and then ran the rest of the way to deliver his message successfully.

Thus the modern pentathlon's five disciplines - show-jumping, shooting, fencing, swimming and cross-country running - were chosen.

Baron Pierre de Courbertin sought to include in the Modern Olympics an event which embraced the spirit of the ancient pentathlon where pentathletes competed in the diverse disciplines of discus, javelin, jumping, running and wrestling. He achieved his goal in 1912 when modern pentathlon was introduced at the Olympic Games in Stockholm.