Olympic Modern Pentathlon a True Warriors Test

The Modern Pentathlon is perhaps my favorite event of the Olympics, because it the one that offers the most diverse test of an athlete's abilities. It does not in fact crown anyone as the "world's best athlete"; rather it can more appropriately be used to designate the world "most versatile soldier."

BetUS Olympic Betting Odds

Modern Pentathlon Matchups

Wed, August 20

Viktor Horvath -125

Andrei Moiseev -115

Gabor Balogh Ev

David Svoboda -140

Jean Maxence Berrou -150

Edvinas Krungolcas +110

Ilia Frolov -110

Andrejus Zadneprovskis -130

Eric Walther -125

Steffen Gebhardt -115

You see, its origins, which can be traced back to Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, came as he imagined what kind of skills a soldier in the 1800's would have to have to successfully deliver a message behind enemy lines. For example, he must be able to ride a horse, fend off attackers by using his gun and his sword, and run and swim his way to safety.

So the Modern Pentathlon is not excactly a sport, per se, but rather, an eclectic combination of five different sports. They are shooting, fencing, swimming, running and horseback riding.

The fencing is done with a epee, as the competitors face each other in round-robin competition. The shooting is with a 4.5 mm air pistol, aiming at a stationary target. The swimming is a 200-meter freestyle race. The running is a three-kilometer cross-country race. And the riding is on a show-jumping horse with obstacles.

Much of this is done in obscurity; the Modern Pentathlon is not a fan favorite, and in fact, has found itself continually fighting for its own survival. Influential people within the International Olympic Committee, including its president, Jacque Rogge, have tried to have it removed. But it has barely gotten by, to the point where it will be able to celebrate its 100th anniversary at the London Games in 2012. Beyond that, however, the future for the event is uncertain.

Perhaps the event's most famous competitor was one who participated in its first year - 1912. And future Army general George S. Patton, who was a lieutenant at the time, may have won the gold medal for the U.S. if not for a poor finish in the shooting competition, amid controversy that erupted when allegedly a couple of his shots went through the bulls-eye so perfectly behind other bulls-eye shots that it could not even be determined whether or not that is where they hit. Patton wound up finishing fifth overall.

It is not surprising that this event which was designed to find "the perfect warrior" has been dominated by military types. Let's just hope we're around to see most of it well into the future.

In the BetUS odds against Jean Maxence Berrou, who is the -150 favorite.

The competition used to be spread out over five days, but is now a one-day event, which will take place over the course of twelve hours' time on Thursday (that's a Wednesday night starting time, moving into Thursday, here in North America). The shooting starts things off at 8:30 AM Beijing time, followed by the fencing round-robin, swimming, riding and finally, the cross-country race. It is grueling. And hopefully, NBC will cover most of it.