1931

IJW
411
THE MODERN PENTATHLON
ASSOCIATION OF GREAT BRITAIN.
Hon. Secretary: Captain J. C. Phillippo, The Duke of Cornwall's Light
Infantry, Army School of Physical Training, Queen's Avenue,
Aldershot.
HISTORY.
The Modern Pentathlon was instituted at the Olympic Games
held at Stockholm in 1912, and owed its inception to the desire
of the Olympic Committee to include in the Games a competition
which would embody all the qualities of a modern sportsman.
Great Britain was represented in the Pentathlon for the first
time in the Games held at Antwerp in 1920, and sent representatives
to those held in Paris in 1924 and in Amsterdam in 1928. In
1920 and 1924 the standard attained by the British representatives
was only fair, but there was a distinct improvement in 1928. The
Modern Pentathlon Association of Great Britain was formed in
1924, and undertook the preliminary competitions and the training
of the selected representatives for the Paris competition. The
competition at the Games is an individual one, but endeavours
have been, and are still being, made to put it on a team basis.
In 1929 the British Olympic Association presented to the Modern
Pentathlon Association the cup which had been presented by them
to the Rev. R. S. de Courcy Laffan in 1908, and bequeathed by
him to the B.O.A. for any purpose connected with the Games which
they might think fit. The Pentathlon Association decided to use
this cup as a Challenge Cup for a Pentathlon Team Competition,
and from 1929 the competition has been held on both team and
individual lines, a Challenge Cup having been presented for the
best individual competitor. Teams consist of three competitors
(two to count), all of whom must belong to the same School,
Regiment, Sporting Club or Society, or Educational Institution.
Since 1929 the competition has been an annual one, and is usually
held at Aldershot about the middle of May.
PREVIOUS WINNERS.
Laff'an Cup (Team). Dyer Cup (Individual).
1929. Royal Military College. Gent. Cadet V. W. Barlow,
E.M.C.
1930. The Essex Regiment. 2nd Lieut. V. NV. Barlow, King's
Shropshire L.I.
1931. Royal Military College. Lieut. W. A. Turner, The Queen's
Days.