Pentathlon to trial monkey bars and rope swing in obstacle course to replace horse riding

Changes could be made to the sport for the first time in over 100 years

Holly Mills competes in the pentathlon for Great Britain (Getty Images)

The pentathlon are going to trial monkey bars and a rope swing in an obstacle course to replace the horse riding element of the sport.

The sport, which is included in the Olympics, is made up of fencing, horse riding, swimming, shooting and running. But chiefs of the sport are looking to make changes in a bid to add commercial value ahead of the 2028 LA Games. If the trial to exchange horse riding for an obstacle course is approved it will be put in place after the Paris 2024 event.

Joël Bouzou, the vice-president of the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne, spoke earlier this year about why they have decided on an obstacle course.

He told The Guardian: “With obstacle racing there are moments when you have to jump, hang, and have to choose options – which means you have to think and there is a tactical element,” he said. “We want to integrate all of this and find the complete athlete.”

These potential changes to the sport has come with its supporters and critics. And while Bouzou knows he cannot please everyone, he hopes fans will take the changes with open arms.

“We understand that some are unhappy. But we have far more people who want to embrace the change. What we are doing is building the future of our sport.”

The changes will be reviewed and discussed for approval at the UIPM Congress 2022 in November.