On October 26, the four-day UIPM 2025 Obstacle World Championships concluded at the National Olympic Sports Center. The events are the first-ever world championships of obstacle running which is part of modern pentathlon. Beijing, which is renowned as the first city to host both Summer and Winter Olympic Games, has now witnessed a new era for the reformed modern pentathlon.

Founded by Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic Games, the modern pentathlon originally consisted of five disciplines: shooting, fencing, swimming, equestrian, and running. Since much of its content is also part of other Olympic sports, this century-old Olympic multisport has faced a crisis of marginalization in recent years. To lower the entry barrier for participation, the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) announced in November 2023 that obstacle running will replace equestrian in the modern pentathlon competitions at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

The inaugural Obstacle World Championships featured seven events: men's and women's individual races (100m, 400m, 3,000m) and a 3,000m mixed team relay, attracting athletes from 39 countries and regions.

As the host city of the first-ever Obstacle World Championships, Beijing has once again demonstrated its openness, professionalism, and inclusiveness. Scheduled to host these championships consecutively from 2025 to 2028, Beijing will provide a replicable model for cities worldwide in organizing major sporting events.

(Source: Beijing Daily)