Modern pentathlon: all you need to know

Why not take up a new sport this year? In fact, why not take up 5 sports at the same time? The Olympic sport of modern pentathlon is an extremely rewarding means of exercise.

Here are 13 things you need to know about the sport to get you started:

Modern Pentathlon was invented by the army officer and founder of the modern Olympic Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin. As the events of the ancient pentathlon were modelled after the skills of the ideal soldier of Ancient Greece, Coubertin created the contest to simulate the experience of a 19th-century cavalry soldier stuck behind enemy lines. He must ride an unfamiliar horse, swim across a river, run and duel with the enemy with a pistol and sword.

The sport often comes under criticism for being too traditional. To combat this several innovations have been made recently to update the sport for the 21st Century. In 2009 the run and shoot components were combined and the event was held at the end of the competition, with the leader after the first 3 disciplines starting the run, followed by the rest of the pack spaced at time intervals according to the amount of points they are behind the leader. This means that whoever crosses the line first wins! This is known as a Hungarian Start. The pistol shooting was also converted to laser in 2011.

Competition day brings with it its own dilemmas. How on earth do you equip yourself for a manic day of 5 different sports? Preparation is crucial — you don’t want to be caught short without your swimming costume in the pool. Nutrition is also vital, with the need to maintain energy levels and hydration over the course of the day. ‘Grazing’ throughout the day, eating little and often, is an oft-used tactic — just an excuse to fill your boots with sugary goodness.

Steph Cook certainly qualifies as a Pentahlon heroine. Starting her education at Bedford High School, Steph went on to study at Cambridge, before completing her clinical medicine course at Oxford, winning the women’s individual title at the Varsity match in 1997. She went on to win Olympic gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Kate Allenby, a bronze medallist at Sydney, is another former Olympian, now a PE teacher in Bath. Jim Fox has been described as one of the most influential figures in the development of pentathlon in Britain, winning the British title a record ten times and competing in four Olympic games up until 1976, where he won team gold along with Danny Nightingale and Adrian Parker.

Many past and current pentathletes come from a Pony Club background, often from Tetrathlon, which shares 4 of the 5 disciplines, just minus the fencing. These athletes include Nick Woodbridge, Freyja Prentice, Mhairi Spence and Kate Allenby. It’s a great route into the sport — you just need to watch the showjumping phase to see that having a Pony Club background can really give you a head start.

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