The pentathlon or women's pentathlon is a combined track and field event in which each woman competes in five separate events over one day (formerly two days). The distance or time for each event is converted to points via scoring tables, with the overall ranking determined by total points.[1] Since 1949 the events have been sprint hurdling, high jump, shot put, long jump, and a flat race.[2] The sprint hurdles distance was 80m outdoors until 1969 and thereafter 100m; in indoor pentathlon the distance is 60m. The flat race was 200m until 1976 and thereafter 800m.[3] In elite-level outdoor competition, the pentathlon was superseded in 1981 by the heptathlon, which has seven events, with both 200m and 800m, as well as the javelin throw.[4] Pentathlon is still contested at school and masters[5] level and indoors.
The word pentathlon is derived from the Greekpente (five) and athlon (contest). The ancient Olympic pentathlon comprised a sprint, the javelin and discus throws, long jump, and wrestling. The modern pentathlon is a multi-sport event. In men's track and field, pentathlon competitions were held in the 20th century, but the ten-event decathlon became the standard multi-event contest.
From 1949 the events were: shot, high jump, and 200m on the first day; 80m hurdles and long jump on the second.[2] The scoring tables were changed in 1954, and again in 1971.[2] In 1961, the order of the events was changed to: 80m hurdles, shot, and high jump on the first day; long jump and 200m on the second, in 1971 the 80m hurdles were changed to 100m hurdles.[2] From 1977 all were contested in a single day.[2] Pentathlon was contested at the European Athletics Championships from 1950 to 1978, and at the Olympics from 1964 until 1980.[2] The IAAF has not ratified world records in outdoor pentathlon since replacing it in 1981 with the heptathlon.[6][7]
The pentathlon is still held indoors, where the heptathlon cannot be held as arenas are too small for the javelin throw. It was added to the IAAF World Indoor Championships as an unofficial event in 1993 and officially in 1995. The indoor pentathlon is held over a one-day period. Each athlete completes one event at the same time, then there is a 30-minute break until the next event. The current world record is 5055 points by Nafissatou Thiam at the 2023 European Athletics Indoor Championships.[6]
As well as indoor events at all levels, outdoor pentathlon is still common in high school athletics. It is simply a smaller version of the decathlon or a heptathlon. For girls, it is 100m high hurdles, long jump, shot put, high jump, and an 800m run. The pentathlon is used because it is less stressful on the athletes than a full multi and because many high school meets only last one day, it allows the event to be contested in the time limit.
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