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Tokyo Olympics: History and rules … all about modern pentathlon

The modern pentathlon will be held from August 5-7 at the Tokyo Olympics. Here’s everything you need to know about the sport.

History of the modern pentathlon

We must go back to antiquity, when the Greeks and Romans practiced pentathlon, a sport that combined five disciplines (discus throw, javelin throw, length, running, and wrestling) quite different from those of modern pentathlon, and intended to reward the most athletes. . The modern pentathlon was created in 1909 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games. The sport has its origins in a legend from the 19th century according to which a young French cavalry officer was sent on horseback to deliver a message. To carry out his mission, he had to ride a horse, fight with a sword, shoot a rifle, swim and run: the five tests that pentathletes still have to face today.

Entering the Olympic Games

The men’s event, more than a century old, has been on the Olympic program since the 1912 Stockholm Games. The women’s competition only appeared at the 2000 Olympics at the Sydney Games.

Modern Pentathlon Rules

On the same day, pentathletes go to three events. They start with a swim and 200 meters to go, then fencing, with an épée. Then follows the test ride, a showjumping track set at 1.20 meters (12, including double and triple), 350 to 400 metres, with a horse drawn at random so they only have twenty minutes to find out. The results of the competitors in each of these three events are converted into points, and the points differences between them are in turn converted into time periods that determine the starting order of the final event: a running race (3,200m) interspersed with a ten-meter laser pistol shooting. With this formula, the first pentathlon to cross the finish line is crowned an Olympic champion.

aux JO . format

Wait there, formatting is long. The two fencing rounds are subject to different rules. During the classification round, all pentathletes compete in a duel. So each of them plays 35 attacks, one against each of his opponents. The first to hit wins the attack. If no casualties are recorded after one minute, both fighters will be declared the losers. A total of 70% wins, or 25 attacks, equal 250 points. Each additional win or loss adds or subtracts six points.

In the bonus round, the quintet ranked 36th and the last at the end of the ranking round challenges the 35th place. The winner of this duel – one touch and 45 seconds max – then faces the thirty-fourth, and so on until the first-placed quintet in the ranking round challenges the attacks. Every victory is worth a point.

In swimming, a time of 2 minutes 30 seconds on a 200-meter swim equals 250 points. Bonuses or penalties of 1 point are awarded in increments of 33/100 below or above.

In riding, pentathletes set off with a capital of 300. They lose seven points for each fallen obstacle and ten points for each disobedience, as well as for the first fall. One point also escapes per second after the time allowed. Of the four rejections, the rider did not score any points.

At the start of the joint event, each point behind the highest ranked pentathlon at the end of the first three events equals one second apart. Competitors have 4×800 meters to go, punctuated by four shooting sessions, with the goal of hitting five times. If the shooter does not hit the five targets after fifty seconds, he can restart. The first pentathlete to reach the end of the 3,200-meter race is crowned an Olympic champion.

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