SportsMaze

What you can't watch without

The rules you will see every few minutes, in the order you meet them. Each opens on its answer.

B · Beginner · 7 rules · Step 1 of 3

The competition

  1. What are the events in modern pentathlon?Fencing, an obstacle race, swimming, laser shooting and running.
  2. How do you win a modern pentathlon?By being first across the finish line of the laser run.

Fencing

  1. How does fencing work in modern pentathlon?Every athlete fences every other athlete once with the épée, in bouts of at most one minute.

Obstacle and swimming

  1. How does the obstacle event in modern pentathlon work?Two athletes race in separate lanes over eight obstacles on a 70-metre course, finishing by running up a wall and pressing a buzzer.
  2. How far do pentathletes swim, and how is it scored?Seniors swim 100 metres freestyle, in heats seeded by the standings so far.

The laser run

  1. Why do pentathletes start the last event at different times?Because the start turns the points from the earlier events into time.
  2. How does the shooting work in the pentathlon laser run?At each visit to the range the athlete must hit a target five times from 10 metres with a laser pistol, using one hand.
I · Intermediate · 7 rulesNext: intermediate rules