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.
Shooting sports have been included at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics except at the 1904 and 1928 games.
Russian Empire (Russia) competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. 159 competitors, all men, took part in 62 events in 15 sports.
The men's team rifle was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the second appearance of the event. The competition was held on Saturday, 29 June 1912.
The men's 300 metre team free rifle was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the third appearance of the event. The competition was held on Thursday, 4 July 1912. Forty-two sport shooters from seven nations competed. The event was won by Sweden, the nation's first victory in the event, improving on a silver-medal performance in 1908. Defending champions Norway reached the podium for the third consecutive time, taking silver this time. Denmark earned its first medal in the men's 300 metre team free rifle with bronze.
The men's 50 metre team small-bore rifle was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the second appearance of the event, with a mixed-distance team small-bore rifle event having been held in 1908. A standing 50 metre team small-bore event would be held in 1920. The competition was held on Wednesday, 3 July 1912.
The men's 25 metre team small-bore rifle was a shooting sports event held as part of the shooting at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the first appearance of the event, though a mixed-distance team small-bore rifle event had been held in 1908. The competition was held on Friday, 5 July 1912.
The men's 50 metre team pistol was a shooting sports event held as part of the shooting at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the third appearance of the event, which had also been held in 1900 and 1908. The competition was held on Tuesday, 2 July 1912. Twenty sport shooters from five nations competed. The event was won by the United States, successfully defending its Olympic title. The American team included John Dietz, a veteran of the 1908 Games, making him the first to win multiple medals in the event. Silver went to Sweden. Great Britain repeated as bronze medalists.
The men's 600 metre free rifle was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the only appearance of the event, though a 1000-yard free rifle event was held in 1908 and a 600-metre prone event was held in 1924. The competition was held on Monday, 1 July 1912.
The men's 50 metre rifle from the prone position was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the first appearance of the event. The competition was held on Thursday, 4 July 1912.
The men's 300 metre military rifle from three positions was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the second appearance of the event, which had been introduced in 1908. The competition was held on Monday, 1 July 1912.
The men's 25 metre small-bore rifle was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the first appearance of the event. The competition was held on Friday, 5 July 1912.
The men's individual competition with revolver and pistol, distance 50 metres was a shooting sports event held as part of the shooting at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the fourth appearance of the event, which was the only one to have been featured at every edition of the Games to that point. The competition was held on Monday, 1 July 1912. Fifty-four sport shooters from twelve nations competed. Nations were limited to 12 shooters each. The event was won by Alfred Lane of the United States, completing a double for him with the rapid fire pistol event. It was the United States' second victory in the event. Another American, Peter Dolfen, finished second. Charles Stewart of Great Britain took the bronze medal, the nation's first in the free pistol.
The men's 30 metre dueling pistol was a shooting sports pistol event held as part of the 1912 Summer Olympics shooting programme. It was later standardized by the ISSF to the men's 25 metre rapid fire pistol. It was the third appearance of the event, as it had not been featured at the 1908 Games. The competition was held on Saturday, 29 June 1912. Forty-two sport shooters from ten nations competed. Nations were limited to 12 shooters each. The event was won by Alfred Lane of the United States, in the nation's debut. Sweden, also making its debut, earned the silver and bronze medals.
The men's ISSF 25 meter rapid fire pistol was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1924 Summer Olympics programme. It was the fifth appearance of the event. The competition was held on 28 June 1924 at the shooting ranges at Versailles. 55 shooters from 17 nations competed. Nations were limited to four shooters each. Henry Bailey won the United States' second consecutive championship in the event. Sweden also earned the same medal as in 1912, with Vilhelm Carlberg's silver. Lennart Hannelius took bronze in Finland's debut in the event.
The men's 30 metre rapid fire pistol, labeled the "revolver" in the Official Report and often described as a "military pistol" event was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1920 Summer Olympics programme. The International Shooting Sport Federation identified this event as the fourth appearance of an individual 25 metre rapid fire pistol event; it was the second time the distance was 30 metres. In 1896 the distance was 25 metres; in 1900, 20 metres. The competition was held on 3 August 1920. 11 shooters from 3 nations competed. The event was won by Guilherme Paraense in Brazil's debut in the event; it was Brazil's first Olympic gold in any event. American Raymond Bracken took silver, while Swiss shooter Fritz Zulauf earned his nation's first medal in the event.
The men's individual competition with revolver and pistol was a shooting sports event held as part of the Shooting at the 1920 Summer Olympics programme. It was the fifth appearance of such an event at different distances. The competition was held on 2 August 1920. 31 shooters from 8 nations competed. The event was won by Karl Frederick of the United States, the nation's second consecutive and third overall victory in the event. Defending champion Alfred Lane took bronze, the first man to win multiple medals in the event. Brazil's Afrânio da Costa finished between the two Americans, taking silver.
Gustaf Eric Carlberg was a Swedish Army officer, diplomat, sport shooter, fencer, and modern pentathlete who competed at the 1906, 1908, 1912 and 1924 Olympics alongside his twin brother Vilhelm.
Frangiskos Mavrommatis was a Greek sport shooter who competed at the 1906 Intercalated Games, the 1908 Summer Olympics and the 1912 Summer Olympics.
Baron Charles de Jaubert was a French sports shooter who competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics and in the 1912 Summer Olympics.
