The Pentathlon

Mr. Theodore Mpaveas, biopathologist, Vice Prefect of Lesvos from 2006-10, sub-prefect of Limnos from 2002-6 and a multi-talented personality in general, provides us with valuable information regarding the history and evolution of the pentathlon.

According to mythology and the pre-historic records we have about the island of Limnos, we can rightfully claim to call Limnos the home of the pentathlon.

Pentathlon is a very complex sport that appeared for the first time at the 18^th Olympic Games, in 708 B.C. It has its roots in mythology and the prehistoric times of our country and it is considered indigenous because, only the advanced athletic conception of the ancient greeks could possibly produce something of this sort.

Pentathlon is a sport that demands extreme mental and physical powers, total concentration and severe self discipline, along with strong will power.

Its parentage is ascribed to the mythical hero Jason, who was traveling with the Argonauts towards Kolhida, when they were forced to sojourn at Limnos due to bad weather. Here, on our island, Queen Hipsipele welcomed them, gave them supplies for the rest of their journey and organized festivities with various sports in order to honour them.

Those games proved to be very important, given that the Argonauts were asked to participate and hence, many great and famous heroes of that era found themselves amidst the athletes. More particularly, among the participants and winners were the following:

• Telamonas, father of the Homeric hero Aiantas, in the discus event
  
• Ligeas at javelin
• Zitis at the foot race
• Kalais at jump
• Peleas, father of the Homeric hero Achilles won at the wrestling and come second in each of the remaining games

Jason, in an attempt to honour Peleas for his extraordinary performance in the games, thought of combining all five games into one, awarding the latter with a special prize and declaring him the bravest of the Argonauts.

That’s how the pentathlon started out here, in our country, on our little island. It is known, however, that racing and wrestling continued for years as separate games, while discus, javelin and the jump all partake in the pentathlon.

In 1924, the men’s Pentathlon was withdrawn from the official Olympic programme, yet it was practiced unofficially from time to time. From 1964 the Pentathlon was re-instated as a women’s competition in the Olympic Games. It is said by some that it would be a great opportunity for all to revive the men’s Pentathlon at the ancient stadium of Chios with the participation of all athletes from the Mediterranean region.

Greeks have always contested in games for the sake of pride and honour and they still do, almost 3000 years on. Back then, the games fostered personal supremacy, emulation, ethos, achievement and the desire for victory and glory, with the sole prize an olive wreath. That wreath, was nothing more than a symbolic manifestation and exultation of hard work and will power.

The olive wreath that was awarded to the Olympic Champions signified great pride, dignity, honour, glory and ethos to them, their families, their homelands and even to their ancestors, while it added to their posthumous fame. An Olympic champion was cherished ever after as person almost holy, since the olympic victory represented the outmost value and was cladded with a religious, moral and spiritual essence.

The Olympic Games were born in Ancient Olympia and they represented an ideal. The ancient spirit has evolved into something extremely powerful that even today, has the power to promote and emanate the deeper meaning of culture, friendship, ethics and competition throughout the world.

The only way to fully comprehend the greatness of the Olympic Ideal and more specifically, of the Olympic Victory, is by comparison of ancient historic records and today’s practices. Nowadays, the victory constitutes the capping-stone of a strictly professional achievement, escorted by a significant monetary award.

At the same time, is completely void of any religious, moral or even spiritual context, and the winners enjoy their victory under a round of vivid applause and the hearing of their national anthem.

On the contrary, the Olympic champion of Ancient Olympia, transformed almost instantly into a holy person and the festivities organized to honour his achievement matched those of a semi-god.

The Olympic Games of Ancient Olympia have taught the world that, the games are not simple physical activities which require the outmost of power and strength. More and above, they are endeavors that demand the combined and absolute collaboration of the soul, the spirit and the body, in order to create greatness.