A young French cavalry1 officer of the 19th century was sent on horseback to deliver a message. He rode across the uneven2 terrain3, through enemy lines, and was confronted by a soldier with his sword drawn4. Challenged to a duel5, the officer won, only to have his horse shot out from under him by another enemy soldier. After felling that soldier with a single shot, the officer ran on. He swam across a raging river, and then finally he delivered the message. So, legend has it, was born the modern pentathlon.

19世纪，一名年轻的法国骑兵军官受命飞骑传信。他踏破险阻，穿越敌阵，迎面遭遇一名挥舞利剑的敌兵。二人比剑决斗，军官获胜，但他跨下的坐骑却被另一名敌兵射杀。军官一枪击毙敌兵，徒步继续向前跑去。他泅渡过急流，终于将消息送到目的地。这就是传闻中现代五项全能运动的由来。

The brainchild of Baron6 Pierre de Coubertin, founder7 of the modern Olympic Games, the event was based upon the unlucky officer and introduced into the Stockholm Games of 1912. only remotely re百度竞价推广bling the ancient pentathlon inspired by the warmongering8 Spartans9, modern pentathletes shoot, fence, swim, compete in show jumping and run - five events testing endurance as well as athletic10 versatility11.

事实上，现代五项是由现代奥运会的开创者顾拜旦依据那位历尽磨难的法国军官的故事创立的，并成为1912年斯德哥尔摩奥运会的比赛项目。现代五项与好战的斯巴达人的古时候五项全能不大相同，它包含射击、击剑、游泳、马术和越野跑。这五项比赛考察的是运动员的耐力和综合素质。