Modern Pentathlon |
| A modern pentathlon final is conducted over one day in the above order of shoot, fence, swim, ride and run. The combination of such diverse events requires athletes to perform to the highest standard, both physical and mentally. |
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Shooting |
| Twenty shots are fired using a .177 caliber air pistol from 10 metres. Forty seconds is allocated for each shot. This event demands deep concentration and focus as the day can be either made or broken by this event as it has the greatest fluctuation of scores from competition to competition. |
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Fencing |
| Epee style fencing is the type of combat used in pentathlon fencing. During this phase each competitor must fence all of the other competitors in one minute, one hit bouts. The scoring is based on win/loss ratio. This is another event that requires not only special technical skill, but also the ability to maintain a focus and calm under pressure. |
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Swimming |
| A 200 metre freestyle race serves as the swim portion with each competitor racing against the clock for points. In the women's event, 2:40 is worth 1000 pentathlon points, while the men must swim 2:30. For both men and women every second under or over this time is worth twelve points. |
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Show Jumping |
| The riding event involves the negotiation of a four foot stadium course composed of 12 obstacles aboard a strange horse. The luck of the draw adds a certain amount of excitement to the event as all horses are not equal in temperament or ability, regardless of the fact that all have completed the course in a test round. Each horse is shared between two competitors, each who have twenty minutes and five practice fences to warm up before their round. Each obstacle is worth 100 points and points may also be deducted for exceeding the time allowed, and for the fall of a rider and/or horse. |
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Running |
| The final event of the pentathlon is a 3 kilometre run. Normally this takes place over flat cross country terrain on a 1000m or 1500m loop for greater spectator visibility. Appropriately named a chase finish, the leader starts first with the rest of the competitors staggered behind the leader according to their cumulative point totals from the four previous events. Each second in running is worth 4 points. The first person to cross the finish line will be declared the winner. This makes for a very exciting finale. |
