Every other year we all gather together to watch some of the greatest athletes of our time compete against one another in a world event known as the Olympics .
Though it doesn’t happen often, we may be seeing an update to an Olympic event in the coming years, with the source of inspiration cited for the change seeming a little strange.
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The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics might have something new in store.
A revisioning of the modern pentathlon might be making its debut in a few more years at the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, with one key category of the race swapped out for something a little more unique.
Pentathlons currently consist of five elements.
Equestrian show jumping, fencing, laser pistol shooting, running, and swimming.
Earlier this year, the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne, or UIPM, announced that equestrian show jumping would be removed, and an obstacle course of sorts would take its place.
This is where ‘Ninja Warrior’ comes in.
The Ninja Warrior franchise began as a Japanese show called Sasuke , which eventually became Sasuke Ninja Warrior . From there, it spread across the world in various formats but with the same core concept, people competing in ridiculous obstacle courses.
The UIPM has hinted at a ‘Sasuke’-inspired course being introduced.
In fact, the obstacle course being supplied for testing purposes is from TBS’ European version of the show.
The first test competitions have already happened in Turkey and featured five pentathletes who gave the obstacle course a go.
With any luck, the new pentathlon format will be finalized ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Ian Adamson, president of the the Fédération Internationale de Sports d’Obstacles, said , “Obstacles have a long history in pentathlon, and introducing a new discipline that is practiced and watched by millions of people in over 160 countries in the form of Sasuke [ Ninja Warrior ] shows has the potential to widen the audience for all stakeholders and enhance the appeal of the sport on the Olympic program.”
h/t: LADBible
