A pentathlon is a contest featuring five events. The name is derived from Greek: combining the words pente (five) and -athlon (competition). The first pentathlon was documented in Ancient Greece and was part of the Ancient Olympic Games. Five events were contested over one day for the Ancient Olympic pentathlon, starting with the long jump, javelin throwing, and discus throwing, followed by the stadion and wrestling. Pentathletes were considered to be among the most skilled athletes, and their training was often part of military service—each of the five events in the pentathlon was thought to be useful in war or battle.
Brianne Theisen-Eaton is a Canadian retired track and field athlete who competed in the heptathlon and women's pentathlon. She won the bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Theisen-Eaton holds the Canadian record for the heptathlon with 6,808 points, as well as the indoor pentathlon with a score of 4768 points. Theisen-Eaton is a heptathlon silver medallist from the 2013 World Championships and 2015 World Championships, as well as a pentathlon silver medalist from the 2014 World Indoor Championships. She is the first and only Canadian woman to podium in the multi-events at the World Championships. Theisen-Eaton won Commonwealth Games gold in the heptathlon at Glasgow 2014 and was the 2016 World Indoor Champion in the pentathlon. She also won a bronze medal as part of the women's 4 x 400 m relay at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.
The European Combined Events Team Championships is an annual track and field competition for European combined track and field events specialists, with contests in men's decathlon event and women's heptathlon.
The AAA Indoor Championships was an annual indoor track and field competition organised by the Amateur Athletic Association of England. It was the foremost indoor domestic athletics event during its lifetime.
The Soviet Indoor Athletics Championships was an annual indoor track and field competition organised by the Soviet Athletics Federation, which served as the Soviet national championship for the sport. Typically held over two to three days in February during the Soviet winter, it was a later development to the national programme, supplementing the main outdoor Soviet Athletics Championships held in the summer.
The Dutch Athletics Championships is an annual outdoor track and field competition organised by the Royal Dutch Athletics Federation, which serves as the national championship for the sport in the Netherlands. It is typically held as a two- or three-day event in the Dutch summer, ranging from late June to early August. The venue of the championships varies, though Amsterdam's Olympic Stadium has been a regular host.
The West German Athletics Championships was an annual outdoor track and field competition organised by the German Athletics Association, which served as the West German national championships for the sport. The two- or three-day event was held in summer months, varying from late June to early August, and the venue changed annually.
The USATF U20 Outdoor Championships, formerly known as the USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships, is an annual outdoor track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field (USATF) which serves as the national championship for American athletes aged under 20. The competition is also used for American national team selection for the IAAF World U20 Championships in even-numbered years and the Pan American U20 Athletics Championships in odd-numbered years.
The East German Indoor Athletics Championships was an annual indoor track and field competition organised by the East German Athletics Association, which served as the national championship for the sport in East Germany. Typically held over two days in February during the German winter, it was first held in 1964.
The West German Indoor Athletics Championships was an annual indoor track and field competition organised by the German Athletics Association, which served as the national championship for the sport in West Germany. Typically held over two days in February during the German winter, it was first held in 1954.
The Greek Athletics Championships is an annual outdoor track and field competition organised by the Hellenic Amateur Athletic Association, which serves as the national championship for the sport in Greece.
The Austrian Athletics Championships is an annual outdoor track and field competition organised by the Austrian Athletics Federation, which serves as the national championship for the sport in Austria.
The Nordic Junior Athletics Championships is an annual outdoor track and field competition for athletes under-20 from the Nordic countries – Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland. Athletes must be 19 years of age or younger by December 31 of the year the championship is held. Finland and Sweden have chosen to set a lower age limit of 18, except for athletes competing in relay races only. Norway, Denmark and Iceland have chosen not to have a lower age limit.
The Nordic Race Walking Championships is an annual racewalking competition between athletes from the Nordic countries organised by Nordic Athletics. Established in 1957, it was a biennial competition until 2004. The events vary between road competitions and track competitions each edition. The 1975 and 1979 editions were open to non-Nordic athletes.
The Nordic Indoor Race Walking Championships was a biennial one-day competition in indoor racewalking between athletes from the Nordic countries organised by Nordic Athletics. Established in 1974, it lasted for three editions before holding the last competition in 1978. The competition was held in February in even-numbered years, alternating with the Nordic Race Walking Championships held outdoors in odd-numbered years. Turku in Finland hosted the first and final editions, while Östersund in Sweden served as host for the second edition.
The Nordic Women's Cup was a biennial competition in women's track and field between athletes from the Nordic countries organised by Nordic Athletics. Established in 1974, it lasted for five editions before holding the last competition in 1982. The competition was held in June or July in even-numbered years. Each of the five Nordic countries – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden – hosted the competition during its lifetime.
Nordic Athletics is an international governing body for the sport of athletics in the Nordic countries – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. It is responsible for organising Nordic competitions between the nations, as well as collating Nordic records for the best performances by athletes of the nations, and holding congresses on the sport for technical rules, coaching and sport administration. Membership of the regional body is composed of the five national athletics bodies. The group also serves to influence the International Association of Athletics Federations and European Athletics in regards to Nordic issues.
The Nordic Junior Combined Events Championships is an annual outdoor combined track and field events competition for athletes under-20 from the Nordic countries – Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland. Athletes must be 19 years of age or younger by December 31 of the year the championship is held. Men compete in the decathlon and women compete in the heptathlon. In the early history of the competition, the women's pentathlon was held instead of heptathlon.
The Nordic–Baltic Under-23 Athletics Championships is an annual outdoor combined track and field events competition for athletes under-20 from the Nordic countries – and the Baltic states. It is typically held over two days in July or August in even-numbered years. Athletes must be 22 years of age or younger by December 31 of the year the championship is held. The hosting of the event is currently limited to the Nordic nations.
The South Pacific Athletics Championships were an international athletics competition between island nations of the South Pacific Ocean. The championships was contested on three occasions: it was first held in 1976, had its second edition in 1978, then its final edition in 1984. Ten nations won medals at the competition during its lifetime. The competition emerged as a single-sport championship following in the footsteps of the region's multi-sport event established in 1963: the South Pacific Games. The athletics competition declined with the emergence of the South Pacific Mini Games in 1981, which was a smaller-scale event with athletics as its core sport.
