Modern Pentathlon Reduces to Four Events

The Modern Pentathlon, the five-event sport created by Modern Olympics founder, Baron Pierre de Coubertin as a test of the perfect soldier’s skills, will combine the shooting and running segments of the sport in an effort to streamline the event and make it more enjoyable for spectators.

The Modern Pentathlon involves shooting, fencing, swimming, riding an unfamiliar horse around the jumping track, and running. In Beijing the event took place in three venues over a span of 12 hours, making it cumbersome for the media to cover and for spectators to follow. The new format, which will take effect January 1, will reduce the necessary venues to two and also reduce the time.