Marks & Spencer is to partner the Modern Pentathlon Association of Great Britain (MPAGB) in its preparations for the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games, as part of the FTSE-BOA Initiative.
Marks & Spencer’s support for MPAGB’s preparation for the Games will include nutritional advice, professional support in regional development, business planning, IT support and branding advice.
Britain’s modern pentathletes have already had an impressive year, with Heather Fell winning the individual Silver medal at the European Championships in Latvia earlier this month.
This week Georgina Harland, the Athens Olympic bronze medallist, secured a place in September’s World Cup Final in Beijing by taking bronze in the last round of the 2007 World Cup series in Rome.
Jude Bridge, Marketing Communications Director at Marks & Spencer, said: "By partnering the MPAGB, we hope to help further the development of a unique sport, and to increase awareness amongst our customers and employees of the Modern Pentathlon, a complete sport where athletes need to be at the peak of mental and physical health."
Peter Hart, Chief Executive of the MPAGB added: "We are delighted that such a high profile brand as M & S has chosen to Partner with Modern Pentathlon. Marks & Spencer will provide MPAGB access to many areas of business expertise, from HR to marketing."
"This will play an important part in the development plans for our elite male and femaleathletes and the sport in general, ensuring that the Beijing and London Olympics will be further positive steps in the successful development of Modern Pentathlon in Britain."
The Modern Pentathlon was introduced in the 1912 Olympics by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic games, who took inspiration from the original Pentathlon, which was introduced at the 18th Olympiad in 708 BC.
It is a complete sport which covers five disciplines:
• running and swimming: requiring speed, strength and stamina;
• fencing: adaptability, skill and intelligence;
• shooting: self-control, balance and precision;
• riding (an unknown horse): adaptability, technique and courage.
"De Coubertin believed that it ‘tested a man’s moral qualities as much as his physical resources and skills, producing thereby the ideal, complete athlete."
The one-day event was a sell-out event at the Sydney Olympics in 2000: 15,000 spectators enjoyed the drama of five different events, culminating in a staggered start in the last event, the three kilometre run, so that the first athlete to finish is the Olympic champion.
