Exciting Changes for Modern Pentathlon at Paris Olympics

The modern pentathlon, which translates from Greek to mean ‘contest of five events,’ is gearing up for an exciting new format at the upcoming Paris Olympics. This unique sport tests athletes across five different disciplines and is often considered a bit obscure, but it’s getting a refreshed presentation this year.

Taking place at the stunning Palace of Versailles, the modern pentathlon will have athletes competing in a condensed version of the event. Instead of spread out over multiple days, they’ll go head-to-head in a speedy 90-minute competition.

In this revamped format, competitors will first tackle a show jumping obstacle course, where they’ll ride horses that are assigned to them just 20 minutes before they compete. This adds an extra layer of challenge as they must quickly bond with a horse they’ve never ridden before.

Next up is the fencing round, where each athlete battles it out individually against each other. They have a minute to score a hit, and the standout gets a chance to advance in the bonus round, which lasts 45 seconds. Not too far behind, the swimming portion follows, where they race in a 200-meter freestyle event and rack up points based on their times.

The final piece of the pentathlon puzzle is the laser run. Here, athletes will run 3,200 meters but not without four stops to shoot at targets with a laser pistol. They need to hit five electronic targets before finishing the race, which will undoubtedly be thrilling for both competitors and spectators.

This year will mark the last time equestrian events are included in the modern pentathlon, as future Olympics will replace horses with obstacle racing. It’s a significant change, as organizers aim to boost popularity and accessibility in the sport.