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Vision

Delta Gear represents itself with five sports: skydiving, swimming, biking, biathlon (running/shooting), and MMA fighting. These are the sports that characterize the 21st century soldier. Historically, five events that were thought to be useful in war or battle were used in a competition called pentathlon. Pentathletes were considered to be among the most skilled athletes, and their training was often part of military service. The wide variety of skills needed to compete meant that pentathletes possessed the ideal combination of strength, speed, and intelligence, which was held in high esteem by ancient Greeks. Aristotle remarked "a body capable of enduring all efforts, either of the racecourse or of bodily strength... This is why the athletes in the pentathlon are most beautiful."

The first documented pentathlon occurred in 708 BCE in Ancient Greece at the Ancient Olympic Games, and was also held at the other Panhellenic Games. Five events were contested over one day for the Ancient Olympic pentathlon, starting with the long jump, javelin throw, and discus throw, followed by the stadion (a short foot race) and wrestling. The ancient Greeks created an athletic culture in which winning was valued not for its own sake but for the moral virtues that contribute to victory.

The pentathlon made its return as an Olympic event at the 1906 Games in Athens, consisting of a standing long jump, discus throw, javelin throw, 192 meter run, and a Greco-Roman wrestling match.

The 1912 Summer Olympics saw the introduction of two new types of pentathlon: classic pentathlon and modern pentathlon. The classic pentathlon, an athletic competition which was a variation on the Ancient Olympic pentathlon, comprised of the long jump, javelin throw, 200 meter sprint, discus throw, and a 1500 meter race. The classic pentathlon was featured at the 1920 and 1924 Summer Olympics but was discontinued thereafter.

The modern pentathlon, invented by Pierre de Coubertin founder of the International Olympic Committee, was a sport modeled on the Ancient Olympic ideal of testing skills required by a soldier. Working from the template of a 19th century soldier fighting behind enemy lines, the contest comprises pe fencing, pistol shooting, freestyle swimming, show jumping on horseback, and a cross country run. According to de Coubertin, the aim of the Modern Pentathlon was to test a mans moral qualities as much as his physical resources and skills, producing thereby the ideal complete athlete.

The choice of the five diverse and unrelated sports that make up the Modern Pentathlon arose out of the romantic, tough adventures of a young French officer in Napoleon's army that was sent on an unfamiliar horse to deliver a message into hostile territory. He was first greeted by an enemy soldier with his sword drawn. The two dueled. The French officer won the duel and continued on his horse until it was shot out from under him. He fired a shot with his pistol and killed the enemy but his horse didn't make it. Having defended himself with his pistol and sword, he swims across a raging river and runs the rest of the way to deliver the message. When he arrived, his commanding officer greeted him with, "What took you?"

In 1912, twenty-six year old George S. Patton represented the United States at the Stockholm Olympics in the first modern Pentathlon and took 5th place. Not surprisingly, it was the military who most enthusiastically adopted this new sport with its inherent demands of courage, co-ordination, physical fitness, self-discipline and flexibility in ever changing circumstances. The modern pentathlon was originally open to only military officers and mirrored the skills a soldier should possess.

By the middle of the 20th century, many of the skills in the modern pentathlon were becoming less relevant to the modern soldier (such as fencing and horse riding). A French army officer, Captain Henri Debrus, adapted a military training method into a five event competition. The five events are: shooting, obstacle running, obstacle swimming, throwing, and cross country running. A first trial competition organized by Captain Debrus was held at the Military Physical Training Center, at Freiburg, in the French occupation zone in Germany, in August 1947. Only Belgian, Dutch, and French teams took part in the competition. The sport is governed by the International Military Sports Council (CISM) and an annual world championship has been held since 1950. CISM's ultimate goal is to contribute to world peace by uniting armed forces through sports. The motto under which they operate is "Friendship through Sport".

The modern pentathlon has been on the Olympic program continuously since 1912. Originally the competition took place over four or five days; however in 1996 a one-day format was adopted in an effort to be more audience-friendly. In spite of the event's strong pedigree in the modern Olympics and its status as the only event created specifically for the modern Olympic Games, its lack of widespread popularity outside Eastern Europe has led to calls for its removal from the Olympic Games in recent years. However, a vote by the IOC on July 8, 2005 has kept it in the Olympic program.

As the popularity of the Modern Pentathlon began to decrease, triathlon was invented and has continued to gain popularity since its inception. Lighter and more aerodynamic equipment has allowed triathlon to evolve, taking it to further distances and off roads. This equipment evolution is akin to the evolution of military equipment, which is why Delta Gear has adopted swimming, biking, and running into its regimen. Since the 1980s, increasingly less Army issue equipment is being produced and more off the shelf civilian equipment is being procured. Delta Gear would like to herald in this new era of practical to tactical and tactical to practical with a new pentathlon that merges military skill with civilian sport.

As each new pentathlon became outdated after each century, the 21st century is calling for a new pentathlon. The 21st Century Pentathlon should consist of skydiving, swimming, biking, biathlon (running/shooting), and MMA fighting. Much like the ancient pentathlon of the Olympics and the International Military Sports Councils ultimate goal, Delta Gear aims to contribute to world peace by uniting armed forces through sports. This era heralds a return to the athletic culture of ancient Greeks, where winning was valued not for its own sake but for the moral virtues that contribute to victory. Pentathletes will be admired because they will possess the ideal combination of strength, speed and intellect, and the winners of the games will be considered heroes.

Balance your participation with pentathlon knowledge, and youll find a more enriching connection, greater inspiration, and deeper roots in your lifestyle as a multisport athlete.