Just finished watching the Asian Games and thought about how we could have a real pentathlon - one which checks skills soldiers need rather than fencing and Show Jumping (The original Modern Penthlon was created for similar reasons from the old Greek Pentahlon)
So I propose replacing Horses with Cycles. (The Japanese used Cycles to great effect to invade SE Asia. Originally I thought of having obstacle race course but that would be too expensive for organizing committees and too different from existing Olympic sports)
And I thought we should bring back the shotput from the original pentathlon but with a twist. Now it will represent Grenade tossing.
So here are my 5 events
1) Grenade Toss
2) Obstacle Running
3) Swimming
4) Cycling
5) Shooting
Now for putting them together
First the grenades will be dummy grenades with radio transmitters and the rifles will be laser rifles.
Further each competitor will also have to carry a 20 Kilo backpack throughout the game to represent what a modern soldier goes through. This 20 Kilo will include their water, change of clothes as well as grenades and laser rifle.
So first the competitors start off with their backpacks and their cycles. Cycle 5 km on a Stadium track.
On finish they immediately go to the Shooting competition where they have to shoot 25 targets - each target will take at least a 9 or at least 2 5s to go down. As soon as their target is down they will then run 3000 m on the track with backpacks(They can leave their rifles but must carry their swimming gear and grenades). The track shall have hurdles like in Steeplechase and shall also have penalty areas (minefields) marked. 10 such areas of 3 m length will be marked on the track. Competitors will have to jump across these areas. Each foot down in an area will count as a penalty (I will get to those later). As soon as they complete the running they will go to the grenade toss area where they will then proceed to throw dummy grenades and try to knock down 25 targets. The competitors have as many grenades as they carried with them in their pack.
When all 25 targets are down the competitor marks his ending time. Drops the backpack and either goes directly to swimming (for stadiums where this is possible) or waits.
For competitors who cannot knock down all targets before they run out of grenades there is one penalty for each target left standing. (Targets shall be at 15,20,25,30,35 m each target to be brought down 5 times)
To knock down a target a grenade must land within 1 m of the target. Targets will be automatic with radio transmitters and fold down as soon as the grenade lands next to it within 1 m.
At the end of the 4 events all competitors will head to the swimming pool for an 400 m swim. The competitors will start in the order in which they finished the previous 4 legs with a 10 s penalty time added for each landmine(penalty) they landed on during the running phase and 1 penalty for each target they left standing during the grenade phase.
Comments Please
So I propose replacing Horses with Cycles. (The Japanese used Cycles to great effect to invade SE Asia. Originally I thought of having obstacle race course but that would be too expensive for organizing committees and too different from existing Olympic sports)
And I thought we should bring back the shotput from the original pentathlon but with a twist. Now it will represent Grenade tossing.
So here are my 5 events
1) Grenade Toss
2) Obstacle Running
3) Swimming
4) Cycling
5) Shooting
Now for putting them together
First the grenades will be dummy grenades with radio transmitters and the rifles will be laser rifles.
Further each competitor will also have to carry a 20 Kilo backpack throughout the game to represent what a modern soldier goes through. This 20 Kilo will include their water, change of clothes as well as grenades and laser rifle.
So first the competitors start off with their backpacks and their cycles. Cycle 5 km on a Stadium track.
On finish they immediately go to the Shooting competition where they have to shoot 25 targets - each target will take at least a 9 or at least 2 5s to go down. As soon as their target is down they will then run 3000 m on the track with backpacks(They can leave their rifles but must carry their swimming gear and grenades). The track shall have hurdles like in Steeplechase and shall also have penalty areas (minefields) marked. 10 such areas of 3 m length will be marked on the track. Competitors will have to jump across these areas. Each foot down in an area will count as a penalty (I will get to those later). As soon as they complete the running they will go to the grenade toss area where they will then proceed to throw dummy grenades and try to knock down 25 targets. The competitors have as many grenades as they carried with them in their pack.
When all 25 targets are down the competitor marks his ending time. Drops the backpack and either goes directly to swimming (for stadiums where this is possible) or waits.
For competitors who cannot knock down all targets before they run out of grenades there is one penalty for each target left standing. (Targets shall be at 15,20,25,30,35 m each target to be brought down 5 times)
To knock down a target a grenade must land within 1 m of the target. Targets will be automatic with radio transmitters and fold down as soon as the grenade lands next to it within 1 m.
At the end of the 4 events all competitors will head to the swimming pool for an 400 m swim. The competitors will start in the order in which they finished the previous 4 legs with a 10 s penalty time added for each landmine(penalty) they landed on during the running phase and 1 penalty for each target they left standing during the grenade phase.
Comments Please
