# Modern pentathlon at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Men's

The men's individual modern pentathlon was an event contested at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. It was the ninth appearance of the individual modern pentathlon, which had been featured at every Summer Olympics since 1912. The individual scores were also used for the men's team event.

## Competition format

The modern pentathlon consisted of five events. The competition dropped the point-for-place system used in previous Games. The 1956 competition introduced a scoring system in which each of the results of each event was converted to a score, with a par value of 1,000 in each event, and higher scores were desirable.
* Riding: a show jumping competition. The course was 5000 m long, with a time limit of 10 minutes. Riders started with 1000 points; gaining or losing 2.5 points for every second under or over the time limit. They could also lose points through obstacle faults. Negative scores were not possible; the lowest score was 0.
* Fencing: a round-robin, one-touch épée competition. The par score of 1000 points was awarded for 26 victories (winning 75% of the fencer's 35 matches, as 36 competitors remained in the event at this stage). Each victory above or below that number adjusted the score by 37 points.
* Shooting: a rapid fire pistol competition, with 20 shots (each scoring up to 10 points) per competitor. A target score of 195 would give 1000 points; every target point above or below that resulted in a 20-point adjustment.
* Swimming: a 300 m freestyle swimming competition. The par time was 4 minutes, with every second above or below adjusting the score by 5 points.
* Running: a 4 km race. The par time was 15 minutes, with every second above or below adjusting the score by 3 points.

## Results

| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Riding | Riding | Riding | Riding | Riding | Fencing | Fencing | Fencing | Shooting | Shooting | Shooting | Swimming | Swimming | Swimming | Running | Running | Running | Total |
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | TS | F | Pts | Pl | Wins | Pts | Pl | Score | Pts | Pl | Time | Pts | Pl | Time | Pts | Pl | Total |
| | Lars Hall | Sweden | 9:46 | 1035.0 | 0 | 1035.0 | 4 | 23 | 889 | 4 | 181 | 720 | 24 | 3:54.2 | 1030 | 2 | 14:07.4 | 1159 | 8 | 4833.0 |
| | Ole Mannonen | Finland | 10:01 | 997.5 | 0 | 997.5 | 5 | 21 | 815 | 8 | 189 | 880 | 5 | 4:16.4 | 920 | 15 | 14:06.9 | 1162 | 7 | 4774.5 |
| | Wäinö Korhonen | Finland | 9:58 | 1005.0 | 120 | 885.0 | 9 | 25 | 963 | 2 | 189 | 880 | 5 | 4:19.5 | 905 | 16 | 14:21.0 | 1117 | 12 | 4750.0 |
| 4 | Igor Novikov | Soviet Union | 10:55 | 862.5 | 60 | 802.5 | 14 | 21 | 815 | 8 | 191 | 920 | 2 | 4:03.6 | 985 | 6 | 13:56.3 | 1192 | 4 | 4714.5 |
| 5 | George Lambert | United States | 9:32 | 1070.0 | 0 | 1070.0 | 1 | 17 | 667 | 17 | 190 | 900 | 4 | 4:05.8 | 975 | 7 | 14:33.2 | 1081 | 15 | 4693.0 |
| 6 | Gábor Benedek | Hungary | 10:56 | 860.0 | 0 | 860.0 | 11 | 23 | 889 | 4 | 191 | 920 | 2 | 4:29.8 | 855 | 18 | 14:18.4 | 1126 | 10 | 4650.0 |
| 7 | William Andre | United States | 9:57 | 1007.5 | 120 | 887.5 | 8 | 23 | 889 | 4 | 188 | 860 | 8 | 4:26.2 | 870 | 17 | 14:19.2 | 1123 | 11 | 4629.5 |
| 8 | Aleksandr Tarasov | Soviet Union | 10:44 | 890.0 | 80 | 810.0 | 13 | 20 | 778 | 10 | 189 | 880 | 5 | 4:35.0 | 825 | 21 | 13:58.1 | 1186 | 5 | 4479.0 |
| 9 | Ivan Deriuhin | Soviet Union | 11:02 | 845.0 | 0 | 845.0 | 12 | 14 | 556 | 26 | 184 | 780 | 16 | 3:46.7 | 1070 | 1 | 13:53.8 | 1201 | 3 | 4452.0 |
| 10 | János Bódy | Hungary | 10:43 | 892.5 | 120 | 772.5 | 15 | 23 | 889 | 4 | 186 | 820 | 10 | 4:41.3 | 795 | 24 | 14:27.8 | 1099 | 14 | 4375.5 |
| 11 | Luis Ribera | Argentina | 9:39 | 1052.5 | 0 | 1052.5 | 3 | 17 | 667 | 17 | 176 | 620 | 29 | 4:14.1 | 930 | 13 | 15:07.0 | 979 | 21 | 4248.5 |
| 12 | José Pérez | Mexico | 10:25 | 937.5 | 0 | 937.5 | 6 | 18 | 704 | 13 | 185 | 800 | 13 | 4:12.4 | 940 | 10 | 16:36.0 | 712 | 32 | 4093.5 |
| 13 | Jack Daniels | United States | 9:35 | 1062.5 | 0 | 1062.5 | 2 | 9 | 371 | 36 | 185 | 800 | 13 | 4:13.3 | 935 | 11 | 15:30.4 | 910 | 25 | 4078.5 |
| 14 | Cornel Vena | Romania | 13:11 | 522.5 | 80 | 442.5 | 22 | 29 | 1111 | 1 | 182 | 740 | 23 | 4:50.9 | 750 | 30 | 14:50.3 | 1030 | 17 | 4072.5 |
| 15 | Adriano Facchini | Italy | 11:41 | 747.5 | 80 | 667.5 | 17 | 17 | 667 | 17 | 186 | 820 | 10 | 4:10.3 | 950 | 9 | 15:23.8 | 931 | 23 | 4035.5 |
| 16 | Berndt Katter | Finland | 10:52 | 870.0 | 240 | 630.0 | 18 | 15 | 593 | 25 | 183 | 760 | 19 | 4:14.5 | 930 | 13 | 14:23.3 | 1111 | 13 | 4024.0 |
| 17 | Bertil Haase | Sweden | 12:18 | 655.0 | 140 | 515.0 | 20 | 17 | 667 | 17 | 180 | 700 | 27 | 4:34.7 | 830 | 20 | 13:48.5 | 1216 | 2 | 3928.0 |
| 18 | Gerardo Cortes, Sr. | Chile | 10:47 | 882.5 | 0 | 882.5 | 10 | 14 | 556 | 26 | 176 | 620 | 29 | 4:52.3 | 740 | 31 | 14:43.8 | 1051 | 16 | 3849.5 |
| 19 | Neville Sayers | Australia | 10:30 | 925.0 | 0 | 925.0 | 7 | 10 | 408 | 35 | 186 | 820 | 10 | 5:32.0 | 540 | 35 | 14:52.9 | 1024 | 18 | 3717.0 |
| 20 | Dumitru Țintea | Romania | 11:29 | 777.5 | 60 | 717.5 | 16 | 17 | 667 | 17 | 184 | 780 | 16 | 4:37.0 | 815 | 22 | 16:34.6 | 718 | 31 | 3697.5 |
| 21 | Antal Moldrich | Hungary | 14:10 | 375.0 | 280 | 95.0 | 30 | 24 | 926 | 3 | 181 | 720 | 24 | 3:58.3 | 1010 | 4 | 15:28.6 | 916 | 24 | 3667.0 |
| 22 | Antonio Almada | Mexico | 13:30 | 475.0 | 80 | 395.0 | 23 | 18 | 704 | 13 | 193 | 960 | 1 | 4:13.2 | 935 | 11 | 17:06.4 | 622 | 35 | 3616.0 |
| 23 | Vladimír Černý | Czechoslovakia | 14:27 | 332.5 | 200 | 132.5 | 29 | 14 | 556 | 26 | 188 | 860 | 8 | 4:08.9 | 960 | 8 | 14:56.7 | 1012 | 19 | 3520.5 |
| 24 | Nilo Floody | Chile | 10:54 | 865.0 | 280 | 585.0 | 19 | 18 | 704 | 13 | 183 | 760 | 19 | 5:08.5 | 660 | 33 | 16:09.9 | 793 | 27 | 3502.0 |
| 25 | Donald Cobley | Great Britain | 12:02 | 695.0 | 380 | 315.0 | 25 | 12 | 482 | 32 | 173 | 560 | 31 | 4:38.3 | 810 | 23 | 13:35.5 | 1255 | 1 | 3422.0 |
| 26 | Okkie van Greunen | South Africa | 14:10 | 375.0 | 180 | 195.0 | 27 | 18 | 704 | 13 | 184 | 780 | 16 | 4:44.1 | 780 | 26 | 15:19.7 | 943 | 22 | 3402.0 |
| 27 | Salvio Lemos | Brazil | 13:38 | 455.0 | 0 | 455.0 | 21 | 14 | 556 | 26 | 183 | 760 | 19 | 4:43.1 | 785 | 25 | 16:30.4 | 730 | 30 | 3286.0 |
| 28 | Thomas Hudson | Great Britain | 15:04 | 240.0 | 220 | 20.0 | 31 | 16 | 630 | 24 | 167 | 440 | 34 | 4:02.0 | 990 | 5 | 14:00.2 | 1180 | 6 | 3260.0 |
| 29 | David Romero | Mexico | 12:29 | 627.5 | 260 | 367.5 | 24 | 14 | 556 | 26 | 185 | 800 | 13 | 4:47.1 | 765 | 27 | 16:27.6 | 739 | 29 | 3227.5 |
| 30 | Victor Teodorescu | Romania | 18:10 | 0.0 | 180 | 0.0 | 33 | 19 | 741 | 11 | 177 | 640 | 28 | 5:14.5 | 630 | 34 | 14:08.1 | 1156 | 9 | 3167.0 |
| 31 | Wenceslau Malta | Brazil | 14:31 | 322.5 | 860 | 0.0 | 33 | 19 | 741 | 11 | 183 | 760 | 19 | 4:49.8 | 755 | 29 | 15:41.8 | 877 | 26 | 3133.0 |
| 32 | Sven Coomer | Australia | 15:46 | 135.0 | 0 | 135.0 | 28 | 12 | 482 | 32 | 181 | 720 | 24 | 3:57.4 | 1015 | 3 | 16:23.2 | 751 | 28 | 3103.0 |
| 33 | Jean-Claude Hamel | France | 14:49 | 277.5 | 80 | 197.5 | 26 | 17 | 667 | 17 | 169 | 480 | 33 | 4:30.0 | 850 | 19 | 16:43.1 | 691 | 33 | 2885.5 |
| 34 | George Norman | Great Britain | 17:16 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 33 | 17 | 667 | 17 | 162 | 340 | 35 | 4:48.1 | 760 | 28 | 15:06.7 | 982 | 20 | 2749.0 |
| 35 | George Nicoll | Australia | 21:39 | 0.0 | 320 | 0.0 | 33 | 13 | 519 | 31 | 170 | 500 | 32 | 5:07.7 | 665 | 32 | 17:58.1 | 466 | 36 | 2150.0 |
| 36 | Harry Schmidt | South Africa | 16:04 | 90.0 | 140 | 0.0 | 33 | 11 | 445 | 34 | 142 | 0 | 36 | 5:48.9 | 460 | 36 | 16:53.3 | 661 | 34 | 1566.0 |
| – | Nilo da Silva | Brazil | 14:49 | 277.5 | 260 | 17.5 | 32 | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | 17.5 |
| – | Björn Thofelt | Sweden | 18:40 | 0.0 | 140 | 0.0 | 33 | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | 0.0 |
| – | Héctor Carmona | Chile | Abandoned | Abandoned | Abandoned | Abandoned | Abandoned | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | 0.0 |
| – | Marthinus du Plessis | South Africa | Abandoned | Abandoned | Abandoned | Abandoned | Abandoned | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | Did not finish | 0.0 |