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    Ancient Olympics

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    dream_nerd
    http://www.pentathlon.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:mp-ancient-modern&catid=31:general&Itemid=29

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    Ancient Olympics

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    dream_nerd
    215 views2 pages
    http://www.pentathlon.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:mp-ancient-modern&catid=31:general&Itemid=29

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    http://www.pentathlon.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:mp-ancient-modern&catid=31:general&Itemid=29

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf
    215 views2 pages

    Ancient Olympics

    Uploaded by

    dream_nerd
    http://www.pentathlon.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51:mp-ancient-modern&catid=31:general&Itemid=29

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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    Modern Pentathlon - from ancient to modern times

    Written by Administrator Tuesday, 23 February 2010 14:17 - Last Updated Monday, 10 May 2010 21:40

    The Ancient Games

    The Pentathlon was held for the first time at the 18th Olympiad in 708 BC, probably by the Spartans as a method of training soldiers. It consisted of running the length of the stadium, jumping, throwing the spear, throwing the discus and wrestling. The Pentathlon held a position of unique importance in the Games and was considered to be the climax, with the winner ranked as "Victor Ludorum.

    Admiration for the ancient Pentathlon was shared by the founder of the Modern Olympic Movement, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who expressed his support for the concept of a Pentathlon. From 1909, he tried to have the event introduced into the Olympic programme and, after two failed attempts, Pentathlons moment came at the 14th session of the International Olympic Committee in Budapest in 1911, when as the Baron stated: "The Holy Ghost of sport illuminated my colleagues and they accepted a competition to which I attach great importance. The Military connection

    The choice of the five diverse and unrelated sports that make up the Modern Pentathlon arose out of the romantic, tough adventures of a liaison officer whose horse is brought down in enemy territory. Having defended himself with his pistol and sword, he swims across a raging river and delivers the message on foot.

    Not surprisingly, it was the military who most enthusiastically adopted this new sport with its inherent demands of courage, co-ordination, physical fitness, self-discipline and flexibility in ever changing circumstances. A young American Lieutenant, later to be the famous 2nd World War General George S. Patton, was to finish fifth in the first ever Olympic Modern Pentathlon competition and, for many years, the Modern Pentathlon was used as part of the final examinations at a number of European Military Academies.

    Modern Pentathlon at the Olympic Games

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    Modern Pentathlon - from ancient to modern times


    Written by Administrator Tuesday, 23 February 2010 14:17 - Last Updated Monday, 10 May 2010 21:40

    The Modern Pentathlon was introduced at the 5th Olympiad in Stockholm in 1912. It comprised the contemporary sports of pistol shooting, fencing, swimming, horse riding and running. It was de Coubertins belief that it would be the event, above all others, that "tested a mans moral qualities as much as his physical resources and skills, producing thereby the ideal, complete athlete. From 1912 to 1980 the Olympic Modern Pentathlon competition was held over five days with one event per day. Between 1984 and 1992, the competition was held over four days with either running and shooting or swimming and shooting on the same day. For the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, the competition was a one-day event in which 32 men who qualified via pre-Olympic competitions participated.

    In 1998, the UIPM received approval for women to compete in the Sydney 2000 Olympics Games and so 24 men and 24 women competed in individual competition and for the first time in history, the Pentathlon venues were 96% sold out.

    The UIPM subsequently received an increase in the quota and in Athens 2004, 32 men and 32 women competed and both competitions were 100% sold-out. Following this success, UIPM received a further increase in quota from the IOC Executive Board and at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, 36 men and 36 Women took part in the Olympic Modern Pentathlon event.

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