Modern Pentathlon’s Thrilling Challenges: Discover the 5 Diverse Events

At the Paris Olympics, athletes in the sport of modern pentathlon will battle it out in a revitalized, brisk version of the competition. This edition will take place at none other than the historic Palace of Versailles.

PARIS, France — The modern pentathlon, derived from the Greek word meaning “contest of five events,” is designed to push athletes to their limits across five rigorous and unique sports.

Here’s a breakdown of what the modern pentathlon will entail at the Paris Olympics.

Equestrian

Competitors face an obstacle course in show jumping with a randomly assigned horse only 20 minutes before the event.

Fencing

In fencing, athletes go head-to-head in a ranking round where each bout lasts one minute or until the first hit. This is followed by a 45-second, single-elimination bonus round.

Swimming

The swimming segment involves a 200-meter freestyle race, with points awarded based on the athlete’s time.

Laser Run

The final event combines running and shooting. Athletes run 3,200 meters, stopping to shoot at targets with a laser pistol. Each stop requires hitting five electronic targets or waiting 50 seconds before continuing. The first to cross the finish line wins gold.

The format has evolved over the years, with significant changes aimed at boosting the sport’s popularity. Traditionally spread over several days, the events will be condensed into 90-minute sessions for better spectator engagement. Equestrian events were once cross-country races but were changed to show jumping in 1988. Team events existed from 1957 to 1992, and women’s events were introduced in 2000.

Paris 2024 will be the last Olympics to feature horse riding in modern pentathlon. From 2028 onwards, this segment will be replaced with obstacle racing.

Modern Pentathlon Schedule at the Paris Olympics

5:00 a.m. EDT: Men’s and women’s fencing ranking rounds

7:00 a.m. EDT: Men’s Semifinal A

11:00 a.m. EDT: Men’s Semifinal B

3:30 a.m. EDT: Women’s Semifinal A

7:30 a.m. EDT: Women’s Semifinal B

11:30 a.m. EDT: Men’s Final

2:00 a.m. EDT: Women’s Final

The Paris Olympics will also feature the heptathlon and decathlon, each testing athletes in a series of track and field events over two days.

Heptathlon

The heptathlon sees female athletes compete across seven events. Day one covers the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, and 200 meters. Day two includes the long jump, javelin, and 800 meters.

Decathlon

The decathlon is the male equivalent with ten events. Day one features the 100 meters, long jump, shot put, high jump, and 400 meters. Day two covers the 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1500 meters.

The heptathlon is scheduled for August 8 and 9, 2024, ensuring two action-packed days.

Only men compete in the decathlon, where the winner is determined by the highest cumulative score across all events.