Modern pentathlon words · Beginner

The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.

B · Beginner · 14 words · Step 1 of 2

General terms

Modern pentathlon

A single-day competition of five disciplines organised in four events: fencing, obstacle, swimming, and the laser run, which combines laser shooting and running. Riding (show jumping) has been replaced by the obstacle discipline and remains only in Masters competitions.

See also: Fencing, Swimming, Riding, Laser run, Obstacle

Pentathlete

An athlete who competes in modern pentathlon.

Modern pentathlon points

Each event earns points, and the totals across the events give the overall standings. The first athlete to cross the finish line of the laser run is the winner, and if that athlete has fewer points in total, points are added so that their pentathlon score is the same as the runner-up's.

Also called: MP points, points system
See also: Laser run

Semi-finals and finals

In the top competitions the athletes who come through qualification are split into semi-finals and a final, run in the order fencing, obstacle, swimming and laser run. Breaks of five minutes follow fencing and obstacle and ten minutes follow swimming. Athletes in the final are ranked 1st to 18th by place after the laser run.

See also: Fencing, Swimming, Laser run, Obstacle

Relay

A competition in which a team of two athletes competes. In the mixed relay the women compete first, then the men.

The disciplines

Fencing

The first event. Athletes fence with the electric épée. In the ranking round and seeding round every athlete fences everyone else once in a single pool of one-minute bouts decided by one hit, and in the semi-finals and finals a direct elimination ladder follows.

Swimming

A freestyle race over 100 m for senior, junior and youth age groups down to under 13 (50 m for the youngest). Points come from the time: 1:10.00 is 250 points, with 1 point for each 0.2 seconds faster or slower.

Riding

The former fourth discipline, a show jumping test on a horse drawn for the athlete. The 2026 rules keep it only for Masters competitions and other events that still include it; the obstacle discipline has replaced it elsewhere.

Also called: equestrian, show jumping
See also: Obstacle

Laser run

The final event, in which laser shooting and running are combined in alternating shooting series and running laps, starting with a handicap start. For seniors the series are of five hits each, with about 3,000 m of running in all.

Format and scoring terms

Handicap start

The start order of the laser run, set by the points from the earlier events: athletes start at gaps of one second for each point they are behind the leader. An athlete more than 1 minute 30 seconds behind starts in a pack at 1:30. The first athlete across the finish line wins.

Points tables

Points are scored against a benchmark in each event: 70% of fencing bouts won, or 1:10.00 for 100 m, is 250 points, and each result above or below it adds or subtracts points under the points tables. Penalties are in points in most events, and in seconds in the laser run.

Also called: bonus and penalty points
See also: Fencing, Laser run

Laser pistol

The pistol used in laser shooting. It is checked for calibre, weight, single shot and dimensions, and registers hits on laser targets. It must be held and fired with one hand only (except for the youngest groups), and it must touch the table between each shot.

Ranking round

The first fencing stage, a single pool in which each athlete fences everyone else once in one-minute bouts decided by one hit. The ranking round is held in qualification, and a seeding round before the semi-finals sets the order for direct elimination. No points are awarded after the seeding round.

Also called: round-robin, seeding round
See also: Fencing, Direct elimination

Obstacle terms

Obstacle

The event that replaced riding: a race over eight obstacles on a 70 m course, run as head-to-head races in the top competitions and in relays. Athletes may run, climb, crawl or swing across the obstacles in their own lane. Six obstacles are fixed and two are drawn at the technical meeting.