(ATR) Modern pentathlon competition gets underway at the Rio 2016 Olympics today, with a new format set to revitalize the sport and win new fans across the world.
In a bid to stay relevant as the IOC introduces more youth targeted sports to the Games, modern pentathlon has made adaptations to appeal to younger audiences and television broadcasters.
For London, the running and shooting events were combined, and laser guns were introduced. For Rio, a greater emphasis will be placed on the fencing component with a bonus round to be held in addition to the first day's ranking rounds.
The two lowest-ranked pentathletes from the ranking rounds face each other in a one-touch knockout bout. The winner receives an additional victory and moves up to face the next lowest-ranked athlete and so on until only one competitor remains.
From Tokyo onward, modern pentathlon will be staged in a single stadium over no more than five hours. Fencing will be a winner-stays-on tournament; swimming will be in a pool built into the infield and showjumping will take place inside the track. With these further modifications, the sport aims to ensure its place on the Olympic program going forward.
Ranking rounds for both men and women take place on Thursday at the Youth Arena before the women take center stage on Friday with the swimming at the Deodoro Aquatics Center and the fencing bonus round, showjumping and combined running/shooting at the Deodoro Olympic Stadium.
No woman has ever won more than a single Olympic Games medal in modern pentathlon since it made its Games debut at Sydney 2000 but with Lena Schoneborn, the Beijing 2008 and Laura Asadauskaite, the London 2012 Olympic Champion both competing, this could change. Brazil will be hoping Yane Marcia Marques can grab another medal, after becoming South America’s first medalist in the sport when she won bronze in London.
The men’s competition continues on Saturday, with two-time world champion Alexander Lesun going in as the favorite. The Russian pentathlete finished fourth at London 2012 and goes into these Games having won silver at the 2016 World Championships.
He will face competition from current world champion Valentin Belaud of France who will make his Olympic debut while 25-year-old James Cooke of Great Britain is coming off a strong world cup season where he took two victories, making him number one in the world going into the Olympic competition.
Written by Alice Wheelerin Rio de Janeiro
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