GENEVA, Aug. 25 (silubaba) -- Klaus Schormann, President of the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM), on Friday described the sport as entering a new era after the obstacle racing event was added.
Schormann talked to silubaba when he was in Bath, Britain, to attend the 2023 Pentathlon World Championships here, where fans can also try an obstacle racing course on the sidelines of the tournament.
"Three days ago, more than 400 kids from this region (Bath) came with their parents to test fencing, shooting and obstacle. They want to go again and again. It's fantastic to see," Schormann noted.
"What we have seen here is already in national federation competitions. It was really exciting to see. Some people think it is unbelievable, never thought that my kids can do that. It gives another kind of interest as well," he added.
Modern pentathlon, featuring fencing, shooting, riding, running and swimming, was introduced into the modern Olympics in 1912, but ,,riding was criticized after Tokyo 2020 when a German coach struck the randomly-assigned horse.
UIPM opened the talk to replace riding with obstacle racing after the Tokyo Games and voted in favor of the decision in November 2022 at UIPM Congress. But the riding event will still be included at the Paris 2024 and UIPM officials are quietly confident obstacle will feature as part of a new-look Modern Pentathlon at LA 2028.
"The congress vote is 84% in favor of this inclusion of obstacle. Immediately our national federations started to build obstacle training session. Junior competitions in the season 2023 are organized with the obstacles, and very successfully," Schormann said.
"In Africa, for example, it was always difficult for them to have horses. But now they have this through the accessibility. They can be a part of the modern and fantastic sport. This decision is underlining on the practical side of the enthusiasm of the young people. Besides, we have less cost for the training sessions and also for the organizers, so we will have more organizers from regions where they never organize a big competition.
"In the last 30 years, we have always changed. We go with the young generations, and what they want to have in the future. What is their interest? You're not riding with a horse to go shopping. You go with a bike or whatever. That is the philosophy of the union. We have the word 'modern', and we will modernize our sport, and we underline the world. It's not only for today or for tomorrow. That will be something more.
"Now we can say we have organizers in all corners of the globe. That was not the case in last years when we lost the horses in the military and the police that have been our resources over more than 100 years, but this is not any longer existing. Therefore, the step would be made. To do something the young generations like to have to follow the interests of young people.
"We have made the right decision with obstacles," Schormann said. ■
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