Modern Pentathlon at the 1968 Summer Olympics

Dates 13 – 17 October 1968
Medal Events 2

As in 1952-64, the events consisted of an individual and team competition for men, scored by a series of scoring tables for each of the phases. The format was the same as it had been since 1932, with the order of the phases staying the same – riding, fencing, shooting, swimming, and running. The competition was held over five days, with no rest day. The UIPM had also instituted a new point scoring system after the 1964 season. The UIPM also began doping controls after the 1965 World Championships, when there had been some incidents involving the athletes using alcohol before the shooting. The Austrian Herbert Polzhuber had apparently drank 10 beers and a bottle of cognac and responded by shooting all his bullets into the ground.

Events

Event Status Date Participants NOCs
Individual, Men Olympic 13 – 17 October 1968 48 18
Team, Men Olympic 13 – 17 October 1968 45 15
48 (48/0) 18 (18/0)

Medals

Event Gold Silver Bronze
Individual, Men Björn FermSWE András BalczóHUN Pavel LednyovURS
Team, Men HungaryHUN Soviet UnionURS FranceFRA

Medal table

NOC Gold Silver Bronze Total
Hungary HUN 1 1 0 2
Sweden SWE 1 0 0 1
Soviet Union URS 0 1 1 2
France FRA 0 0 1 1