The Greek word pentathlon derived, in our language , into pentathlon . This is the name given to the group of five athletics events that take place together.
In ancient times, the pentathlon was a competition that included javelin throwing , discus throwing , wrestling , long jump and running (a 180 meter running competition known as stadia). In the first Olympic Games , therefore, pentathletes competed in these disciplines .
The five modalities that were part of the ancient pentathlon were considered useful for the development of combat skills. That is why the training of pentathletes was part of military service.
The idea of a military pentathlon , however, alludes to a preparation implemented after World War II . In this case, it was made up of cross-country (equestrian sport), obstacle swimming , obstacle course , grenade throwing and rifle shooting .
According to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ), currently the pentathlon includes javelin throwing , discus throwing , long jump and 200 and 1500 meter dash events. Anyway, at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games that took place in 2016 , the pentathlon consisted of fencing , swimming , horse riding , running and shooting events.
Scoring for the modern pentathlon means that each athlete starts competing with 1100 points . This score decreases according to different types of penalties. The first round is a fencing qualification, then comes swimming, then fencing again, and then horse riding. The last stage is the combined running and shooting test.
Until 2008, an independent test called pistol shooting or sports shooting was included, in which the competitor must shoot using only one hand to try to hit twenty targets that are 10 meters away and have a diameter of 155 millimeters. Intervals exceeding 40 seconds are not allowed between one shot and another. The objective is to test the ability to concentrate and precision. At first firearms were used, but later they were replaced by compressed air guns.
Each target is made up of ten rings, and the score is based on which of them the competitor manages to "touch." If a bullet hits the boundary between two rings, the judges award the value of the smaller ring, that is, the result is defined in favor of the player. In case of technical problems with the gun, five minutes are allowed to try to solve them. Since 2009, this modality has been combined with cross-country running .
This race consists of completing three complete laps of a 1 kilometer long circuit (until 2000, the number of laps was four). The order in which each competitor starts depends on the results they have obtained in the previous tests: after the first, the following ones start 1 second later for every 4 points less they have with respect to the one above them.
The combination of shooting and running that has been in place since 2009 requires a pause after each lap for shooting. Nowadays, compressed air weapons are no longer used but rather lasers, and the targets are electronic. The system simulates the time that passes from pressing the trigger until the projectile exits and its subsequent collision with the target.
With respect to swimming , it is a test that requires a prior level of skill and preparation, since this discipline cannot be learned at any age. In other words, to participate in a pentathlon it is mandatory to have advanced training as a swimmer.