All about the pentathlon
The ancient pentathlon
The pentathlon was the star event of the ancient Greek Olympics. The name 'pentathlon' means 'five competitions' and only the fittest athletes took part in this gruelling event. Preparation was often combined with military training because the five skills involved in the competition were also essential battle-fighting techniques. The ancient pentathlon comprised the javelin throw, the discus throw, the long jump, wrestling and a running race. The discus, javelin and long jump were held first and if the same athlete won these three events, the wrestling and foot race would be cancelled. The discus and the javelin were thrown five times and each athlete's longest throw was recorded. Competitors were also allowed five attempts at the long jump. And there's another important thing we mustn't forget about the ancient Greek pentathlon. It was always performed in the nude!
1 What is a 'star event'?
a) The most important event
b) An event that takes place at night
2 What does the adjective 'gruelling' mean?
a) Skilled
b) Exhausting
The ultimate test
The modern pentathlon was established by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the creator of the modern Olympic movement, who wanted to include an event in his new programme that really tested athletic skills.
De Coubertin realised that simply copying the ancient Greek competition would be meaningless, so he set about bringing it up to date.
The old pentathlon had been built around the skills required by a Greek soldier in battle and de Coubertin decided to keep this basic idea in the new version. A turn-of-the-century European soldier had to ride a horse, fight with a pistol and a sword, and swim and run so de Coubertin chose these five skills for the modern pentathlon.
The baron had re-invented an ancient Greek tradition and come up with a modern Olympic event that tested endurance as well as athletic skill. The pentathlon had been re-born.
3 The modern pentathlon is (a copy / an adaptation) of the Ancient Greek competition.
4 De Coubertin's version of the pentathlon involves (six / five) different skills.
True or False
Look at these statements about the modern pentathlon. Are they true or false?
1 The modern pentathlon was first contested at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
2 Originally, the competition took place over four or five days but in 1996 the time-scale was changed to a week.
3 The pentathlon is now seen as an old-fashioned event and there have been demands to remove it from the Olympic programme.
4 In the riding event, pentathlon athletes have to ride an unfamiliar horse.
5 In the final 3,000-metre run, the athletes set off at intervals decided by the points they have acumulated in the first four events. The first person across the finishing line gets the gold medal.
6 The winner of the last Olympic pentathlon was the Russian athlete Andrey Moiseev.
Olympic Fact File
Select the correct word or phrase from the brackets to complete the sentences.
1 The pentathlon was the (most / least) important event of the Greek Olympics.
2 The discus and the javelin are both (throwing / running) events.
3 The word 'pentathlon' means (five competitions / five medals).
4 The ancient Greek pentathlon was done (in the nude / by women only).
5 The original pentathlon was built around (battle / sailing) skills.
Answers
1a / 2b / 3 an adaptation / 4 five
1. False (1912) / 2. False (one day) / 3. True / 4. True / 5. True / 6. True
Fact File: most / throwing / five competitions / in the nude / battle
