A pentathlon is a sports competition with five events, designed to test an athlete's skills and endurance across multiple challenges.
The word pentathlon is a combination of two Greek words: pente, meaning "five," and athlon, meaning "competition." The first pentathlon was held in Ancient Greece as a part of the Olympics. It combined sprinting, jumping, discus throwing, javelin throwing, and wrestling. The pentathlon is still part of the modern Olympics: It includes swimming, fencing, shooting, and running, and while it traditionally included equestrian show jumping, the sport is transitioning to include obstacle course racing instead. Athletes who compete in pentathlons are known as pentathletes.