Modern pentathlon was introduced to the Olympic programme in 1912 and has featured ever since, despite its future coming under scrutiny regularly.
Here’s all you need to know about modern pentathlon at Paris 2024.
Modern pentathlon schedule and venue at Paris 2024
The modern pentathlon events run from 8-11 August. They are taking place at the Palace of Versailles and the North Paris Arena.
There are two medal events – women’s individual and men’s individual.
What is modern pentathlon?
Modern pentathlon is made up of four events combining five sports: Riding, fencing, swimming, running and shooting.
In Paris, it will be a new two-hour condensed format and semi-finals have also been introduced which will reduce the fields from 36 to 18 competitors.
Athletes will compete in fencing, show jumping and swimming before points are converted into a time handicap for the concluding laser run of five 600m laps and four stops at a shooting range.
Riding is a show jumping course on an unfamiliar horse that the athlete is allocated in a draw just 20 minutes before they compete.
This will be the last Olympics in which riding is featured following the furore at Tokyo 2020 when German trainer Kim Raisner was sent home in disgrace after being filmed hitting the horse Saint Boy.
Fencing is split into two rounds: a ranking round where athletes compete in a round-robin basis, and a bonus round where the winner stays on.
Swimming is a 200m freestyle event.
Are Joe Choong and Kate French competing?
A total of 72 athletes will compete in Paris, with 36 in the women’s and 36 in the men’s. It is the same number of athletes as Tokyo 2020.
Each nation can have four athletes – two men and two women.
Great Britain’s Joe Choong, who won gold in Tokyo 2020, has qualified to defend his title.
He secured his place in Paris after winning the World Championships in Bath and claiming silver at the European Championships in Poland last year.
Kate French won the women’s event in Tokyo as part of a golden double for Britain.
Earlier this year, she said she planned to defend her title in Paris and returned to competition after 18 months out.
Who has won the most medals in Olympic modern pentathlon?
Hungary is the leading nation at the Olympic Games, having won a combined 23 medals.
Great Britain is fourth in the all-time table and has won nine medals.
Britain won gold in both men’s and women’s events at Tokyo 2020 after victories for Choong and French.
