Baron Pierre de Coubertin, widely credited as the founder of the modern Olympics, spent two years lobbying for the new Games to include a modern version of the pentathlon event that was a key element of the ancient Olympics.

The pentathlon - consisting of running the length of the stadium, jumping, throwing the spear, throwing the discus and wrestling - was introduced at the 18th Olympiad in 708 BC.

For more than 900 years, the event was regarded as the climax of the Games, with the winner taking on the title of “Victor Ludorum” (Winner of the Games).

De Coubertin had his wish in 1912 when, at the Stockholm Games, the modern pentathlon took a place in the Olympic programme which it continues to retain.

Reflecting on his successful championing of the modern pentathlon at the 14th session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1911, De Coubertin commented: “the Holy Ghost of sport illuminated my colleagues and they accepted a competition to which I attach great importance.”

In its original format, designed to embrace the spirit of its ancient counterpart, modern pentathlon involved shooting with pistols, fencing, swimming freestyle, riding over obstacles on horses assigned by lot shortly before competition, and finishing with a cross-country run.

The basic premise behind the modern pentathlon is of a soldier being ordered to deliver a message. He starts on the back of an unfamiliar horse, but is forced to dismount and fight a duel with swords. He escapes, but is trapped and has to shoot his way out with a pistol. He then swims across a river before completing his mission with a long run through woods.

It was De Coubertin’s belief that it would be this event, above all others, that “tested a man’s moral qualities as much as his physical resources and skills, producing thereby the ideal, complete athlete.”

This core challenge for Olympic athletes celebrated its Games centenary at London 2012, by which time it had altered and modernised its format while taking care to retain the elements that make it a uniquely challenging historical competition.

After years in which the Olympic competition took up five days, or on occasion four, the 1996 Atlanta Games marked a revolution in its preparation as it became a one-day event, concluding with a time-handicapped run which meant that the first runner to finish was the overall champion.

Two years earlier the traditional pistol using 0.22 calibre ammunition had been replaced by air pistols firing 0.177 calibre pellets.

The years between the Beijing 2008 Games and the London 2012 Games were marked by two more dramatic changes designed to improve the event’s overall appeal and potential for participation.

In 2009, the shooting and running elements were put together into a concluding Combined Event, again employing a time-handicap based on the standings after the opening three events and requiring competitors to run three 1000m laps, each prefaced by hitting five static targets.

In 2011, a further alteration to the sport was made when air pistols were replaced by laser pistols – a safer alternative.

The UIPM President, Dr h.c. Klaus Schormann, commented: "UIPM is proud and happy, that we could finish our process of modernising our sport in the year 2012 which was our 100-year anniversary of being in the Olympic Games.”

In January 2013, UIPM proposed a revolutionary new concept for the sport which would see all five events staged in the same arena. "After 15 year of exciting innovations in modern pentathlon I welcome you to our newest concept, the Pentathlon Stadium," said President Schormann.

"Now a spectator can watch five disciplines in five hours with one ticket from one seat.”

On February 11, in Lausanne, the IOC confirmed modern pentathlon’s continuing place as one of the 25 core sports of the Olympic programme until 2020.

The core sport remains largely the same since London 2012, although it was tweaked in 2013, when the combined event was altered to involve four 800m laps, each prefaced by laser shooting at five targets, with the intention of restoring more weight to the shooting element.

A further innovation was agreed in 2014 in the form of the fencing bonus round, offering athletes who have completed the traditional round robin competition an additional chance to win bonus points while focusing the action on a single piste – creating a more exciting experience for athletes, spectators and broadcasters.

At Rio 2016, the women’s and men’s individual competitions will take place over three days – from August 18 to 20 – and will be hosted across three different venues -  the Youth Arena, the Deodoro Aquatics Centre and the Deodoro Stadium.

Meanwhile modern pentathlon has created a calendar of world class events that is growing and proliferating across the world.

The UIPM World Championships, established in 1949, take place on an annual basis, involving individual, team and relay competition.

Unlike other sports, the UIPM World Championships still take place in an Olympic year, with Moscow having hosted the 2016 event.

Hungary is the leading nation in terms of World Championships medals having won 124 since the inaugural event in Stockholm, 51 of which are gold.

The same country has secured the most medals at the Olympic Games with a total haul of 22, including nine golds.

The UIPM also runs an annual World Cup series which allows the world’s best athletes the chance to compete against each other on a regular basis.

Between four and six events form the annual calendar, with a World Cup Final held each year to decide the overall winners. The 2016 finaletook place  Sarasota in the United States, which followed events in Kecskemét, Hungary, Italian capital Rome, Rio de Janeiro and Cairo.

“The UIPM World Cup offers a global showcase to our corporate partners, our broadcast partners and our officials, all of whom are very well accommodated by our hosts,” said Schormann.

Continental Championships also form part of the UIPM portfolio, along with World Championships at junior level.