Editing Modern pentathlon (section)

=== Shooting and running ===
From 1912 to 1988 [[Handgun|regular pistols]] or later [[sport pistol]]s were used for shooting. From 1989 until 2009, the shooting discipline involved firing a 4.5&nbsp;mm ([[Pellet (air gun)|.177 cal]]) [[air pistol]] in the standing position from 10 metres distance at a stationary target. The format was that of the [[10 metre air pistol]] competition: each competitor had 20&nbsp;shots, with 40&nbsp;seconds allowed for each shot.{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}} Beginning with the World Cup events in 2011, in a move designed to improve the safety and sustainability of the sport, [[laser pistol (sport)|laser pistols]] were used instead of pistols with actual projectiles.<ref name="uklaser2011">{{cite web |last=Rowbottom |first=Mike |date=2011-04-11 |title=Mike Rowbottom: British pentathletes adapt to lasers in quest for Olympic gold |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/12694/mike-rowbottom-british-pentathletes-adapt-to-lasers-in-quest-for-olympic-gold |accessdate=2021-12-06}}</ref> There is a slight delay between the trigger pull and the laser firing, simulating the time it would take for a pellet to clear the muzzle.<ref name="slate">{{cite news |date=2012-08-12 |title=Can Lasers Save the Modern Pentathlon? |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/five_ring_circus/2012/08/12/modern_pentathlon_2012_olympics_can_lasers_save_the_olympics_weirdest_sport_.html}}</ref> Air pistols with laser transmitters were introduced during the transitional period and are still in use.<ref name="lsrpstlswrd">{{cite magazine |date=2012-11-08 |title=Lasers Make Modern Pentathlon More Modern |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2012/08/modern-pentathlon-laser-pistols/ |accessdate=2021-12-13|last1=Wasef |first1=Basem }}</ref> Purpose-built laser pistols are developed and commonly used since the middle of the 2010s. Laser pistols and targets have to be [[homologation|certified]] by the UIPM.<ref name="uipmhomolog">{{cite web |title=UIPM HOMOLOGATED EQUIPMENT |date=29 July 2016 |url=https://www.uipmworld.org/uipm-homologated-equipment |accessdate=2021-11-29}}</ref>

Until the [[2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Olympics]], the running distance was 4&nbsp;kilometres.<ref name="goodluck" /> The running discipline was shortened to a 3&nbsp;km [[cross country running|cross-country]] run afterwards.{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}

In 2009, the running and shooting events were combined into three 1000&nbsp;m laps with each preceded by laser shooting at five targets in 70&nbsp;seconds or less.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympic_games/7745671.stm Pentathlon change irks Livingston], [[BBC]], 24 November 2008</ref><ref name="lsrcritic">{{cite web | url=
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/13729/exclusive-laser-shooting-problems-have-turned-modern-pentathlon-into-a-lottery-claims-weale|title=Exclusive: Laser shooting problems have turned modern pentathlon into a lottery, claims Weale | first= Mike| last= Rowbottom| date=2011-07-29| accessdate=2021-12-13}}</ref> From the start of the 2013 season, the laser-run was changed to consist of four 800&nbsp;m laps (increasing the distance to 3.2&nbsp;kilometres) each preceded by laser shooting at five targets in 50&nbsp;seconds or less. This change was intended to restore some of the importance of the shooting skill felt to have been lost in the original 2009 combined event. After the 2020 Summer Olympics (postponed to 2021), the run was further modified to a new model of five 600 m laps.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Waine |first=Raphaël Languillon-Aussel & translated by Oliver |date=2022-09-09 |title=The Postponed Tokyo 2020 Games: From Planning Conflicts to Covid |url=https://metropolitics.org/The-Postponed-Tokyo-2020-Games-From-Planning-Conflicts-to-Covid.html |journal=Metropolitics |language=en}}</ref>

The laser-run has been criticized as altering too radically the nature of the skills required. ''[[The New York Times]]'' asked whether the name ought to be changed to "tetrathlon" given that two of the five disciplines had been combined into a single event.<ref name="nyt" /> Laser-run has also become a sport in its own right with para athlete participation and world championships of its own.  It is the summer equivalent of the [[biathlon]] winter sport, which involves skiing and shooting.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-22 |title=UIPM 2022 Laser Run World Championships: All you need to know {{!}} Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) |url=https://www.uipmworld.org/news/uipm-2022-laser-run-world-championships-all-you-need-know |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=www.uipmworld.org |language=en}}</ref>