By Jean Marbella, The Baltimore Sun Baltimore Sun

2:22 p.m. EDT, June 16, 2012


2012 Summer Olympics



When: July 27-Aug. 12 (Opening ceremony is July 27, with women's soccer starting competition on July 25).

Where: London

TV: Every competition will be streamed live online at nbcolympics.com or telecast by NBC and its affiliated cable networks.

Number of countries: 205

Number of events: 302

Official website: http://www.london2012.com



About modern pentathlon



The events:

•Fencing: A round-robin series of matches in which each competitor has a one-minute bout with epee swords against every other, with the winner the first to score a hit.

•Swimming: A 200-meter freestyle race with athletes seeded in heats according to their personal best times.

•Riding-Equestrian Show Jumping: Athletes ride randomly assigned horses over a course with 15 jumps over obstacles up to 120 centimeters in height.

•Combined Shooting/Running: With a handicap start, athletes run to a shooting range, where they have to hit five targets 10 meters away in under 1 minute 10 seconds, then run for 1,000 meters. They repeat this two more times.

When to watch: Modern pentathlon is scheduled for the final two days of Olympic competition, the men on Aug. 11 and the women on Aug. 12.

Source: USA Pentathlon

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