OLYMPIC SPORT PREVIEW: WOMEN JOIN THE PENTATHLON.Byline: Nevin Barich Nevin Barich (born August 6, 1979) is a former American sports journalist now working as the Senior Editor of The National Notary, a trade magazine based in Los Angeles with a circulation of more than 300,000 nationwide. Staff Writer This year's Olympic Games Olympic games, premier athletic meeting of ancient Greece, and, in modern times, series of international sports contests. The Olympics of Ancient Greece Although records cannot verify games earlier than 776 B.C. modern pentathlon modern pentathlon n. An athletic contest in which each participant competes in five events: running, swimming, horseback riding, fencing, and pistol shooting. will have an astonishing a·ston·ish tr.v. as·ton·ished, as·ton·ish·ing, as·ton·ish·es To fill with sudden wonder or amazement. See Synonyms at surprise. innovation. Women. For the first time since the event was conceptualized in ancient Greece The term ancient Greece refers to the periods of Greek history in Classical Antiquity, lasting ca. 750 BC[1] (the archaic period) to 146 BC (the Roman conquest). It is generally considered to be the seminal culture which provided the foundation of Western Civilization. in 2600 B.C. and since it was first featured in the modern Olympics in 1912, the modern pentathlon will feature a women's competition. Also for this Olympics, no nation can have more than two men and women competing in the sport, which consists of five events: shooting (air pistol, 10 meters, single shot), fencing (one-minute, one-touch matchups using the epee, a dueling sword), swimming (the 200-meter freestyle), horseback riding horseback riding: see equestrianism. (using an unknown horse and competing on an obstacle course obstacle course n. 1. A training course filled with obstacles, such as ditches and walls, that must be negotiated speedily by troops undergoing training or participants in an obstacle race. 2. ) and cross country. Mary Beth Larsen of Wisconsin and Emily de'Reil of Philadelphia will represent the U.S., one of only two countries to earn the maximum allotment of four athletes. Larsen returned to the sport in January 1999 after a three-year absence and won a gold medal gold medal traditional first prize. [Western Cult: Misc.] See : Prize at last year's Pan American Games Pan American (Sports) Games Quadrennial sports festival. The games, conceived in 1940 as an event for the nations of the Western Hemisphere, were first held in 1951. . She was also the 1999 U.S. national champion. ``I'm very, very excited,'' Larsen said. ``Competing at the Olympics has always been a dream of mine. In 1996, I trained really hard for the event before it was decided not to have it. So now, after being away so long, it's extra sweet this time around.'' Larsen may have the inside route to a medal because her husband and coach, Vaho Iagorashvili, is among the modern pentathlon's greatest athletes. Iagorashvili won a bronze medal for the former Soviet Union at the 1988 Olympics and is a 20-year veteran of the sport. ``I think Mary Beth has a big chance to win a medal,'' Iagorashvili said. ``If she does average in all of the events, she can probably get a medal. But if she does great in one of the sports, she may get the gold.'' But don't think de'Reil doesn't have a chance to take the gold. DeReil, whose specialties are swimming and running, was the highest-ranked female pentathlete pen·tath·lete n. Sports An athlete who participates in a pentathlon. Noun 1. pentathlete - an athlete who competes in a pentathlon athlete, jock - a person trained to compete in sports in the country earlier this year. On the men's side, Chad Senior Chad Senior (born December 27, 1974) is an American Olympic modern pentathlete. Senior grew up in Fort Myers, Florida, and graduated from North Fort Myers High School. Chad excelled in academics and athletics, and at an early age expressed a desire to compete in the Olympics. of Colorado Springs appears to be the country's best chance for gold. Though having competed in the sport for just three years, he entered this year's world championships in Italy in June ranked No. 1 in the world. At the championships, he helped the U.S. win two gold medals, including one for the overall team competition. ``I'm a little bit surprised by my success,'' said Senior, who is coached by Jamusz Peciak, the 1976 Olympic modern pentathlon champion from Poland. ``But I had done swimming and running before. I've been swimming for 19 years and running almost as long, so it wasn't like I was starting from scratch.'' Velizar Iliev of San Antonio is the other men's pentathlete. Iliev came out of retirement three years ago in hopes of making the Olympics. He was this year's U.S. national champion and won the gold medal in the Pan Am Games last year. ``(I came back) just because of this Olympics,'' Iliev said. ``That's what drives everybody, winning the gold. I'm a person that will go for first place. A lot of people are just happy with being there, and I'm happy, don't get me wrong. But I came out of retirement to do two things: make the Olympics and the win the gold.'' Iliev and de'Reil are coached by Viktor Svatenko, a former Olympic champion from the Soviet Union. Earlier this year, he was named the national modern pentathlon coach of the year by the U.S. Olympic Committee. MODERN PENTATHLON Competition dates: Sept. 30 for the women and Oct. 1 for the men Teams: 24 individuals each for the men's and women's competition. The U.S. and Hungary are the only countries with the maximum-allowed two men and women. History: The men's competition was added to the Olympics in 1912. This is the first year for the women's competition. Favorites: Andrejus Zadneprovskis of Lithuania is the favorite for the men after winning the world championship earlier in the year. For the women, Pernille Svarre of Denmark, the current world champ, is the one to beat. How U.S. will fare: For the men, Chad Senior has a shot at a medal. Senior was ranked No. 1 in the world earlier in the year and, despite a poor showing at the world championships, is ranked second. Emily de'Reil is the women's best chance. Though finishing 10th at the world championships, she's a consistent rider, runner and swimmer and her shooting is starting to come around. Did you know: One of the highlights of the ancient Olympics was the pentathlon pentathlon (pĕntăth`lən), composite athletic event. In ancient Greece it comprised leaping, foot racing, wrestling, discus throwing, and casting the javelin. , which included running a short distance, jump, throw a javelin, throw a discus and wrestle. - Nevin Barich CAPTION(S): box Box: MODERN PENTATHLON (See text) |
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