PENTATHLON

athletic contest entailing five distinct types of competition. In the ancient Greek Olympics, the pentathlon included a race the length of the stadium (about 180 or 200 yards [165 or 183 metres]), the long jump, discus throw, javelin throw, and a wrestling match between the two athletes who performed best in the previous four events. This Greek pentathlon was adapted for modern track-and-field competition by setting the sprint distance at 200 metres and by substituting a 1,500-metre run for the wrestling match. The event was included in the Olympic Games from 1912 through 1924. The modern, or military, pentathlon, based on the skills needed by a battlefield courier, was first included in the Olympic Games of 1912, and it was a team event from 1952 to 1992. It is not a women's event in the Olympics. The modern pentathlon is a five-day contest involving five events; competition includes an equestrian steeplechase over a distance of about 450 metres on a horse selected by lot, a series of pe fencing matches, pistol shooting at standing silhouette targets, a 300-metre freestyle swim, and a 4,000-metre cross-country run. The modern pentathlon is governed by the Union Internationale du Pentathlon Moderne et Biathlon. Each nation may enter a three-member team. Scoring is on a point basis; the individual and team winners are determined by total scores from the five events. From 1964 to 1980, individual women competed in an Olympic athletics event known as the pentathlon, which included shot put, high jump, 100-metre hurdles, 200-metre dash, and long jump (see also heptathlon).