Chinadaily.com.cn sharing the Olympic spirit
Modern Pentathlon
(Olympic.org)
Updated: 2006-08-19 15:53
?
?Olympic sport since 1912
A young French cavalry officer of the 19th century was sent on horseback
to deliver a message. He rode across the uneven terrain, through enemy
lines, and was confronted by a soldier with his sword drawn. Challenged
to a duel, the officer won, only to have his horse shot out from under
him by another enemy soldier.
After felling that soldier with a single shot, the officer ran on. He
swam across a raging river, and then finally he delivered the message.
So, legend has it, was born the modern pentathlon.
The brainchild of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern
Olympic Games, the event was based upon the unlucky officer and
introduced into the Stockholm Games of 1912. Only remotely resembling the
ancient pentathlon inspired by the warmongering Spartans, modern
pentathletes shoot, fence, swim, compete in show jumping and run - five
events testing endurance as well as athletic versatility.
Comments of the article(total ) Print This Article E-mail
PHOTO GALLERY
PHOTO COUNTDOWN
MOST VIEWED
OLYMPIAN DATABASE
No comments:
Post a Comment