Pentathion

Pentathion

Noun · /pɛnˈtæθ.i.ɒn/ · a variant spelling of pentathlon — an athletic contest of five events

Definition

An athletic competition consisting of five different sporting events, completed by the same competitor. The modern Olympic pentathlon includes fencing, swimming, equestrian show jumping, pistol shooting, and cross-country running. The ancient Greek version featured the discus, javelin, long jump, a foot race, and wrestling.

Origin

From Greek pente (five) + athlon (contest/prize). The ancient Greeks held the pentathlon at Olympia from 708 BC. The modern pentathlon was introduced at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics by Baron Pierre de Coubertin. The spelling pentathion preserves the older Greek inflection before the Latinised form pentathlon became standard.