Multi-Sports

Of the many different sports played around the world, there are some that are made up of combining two or more current sports or events to create a new sport, usually performed consecutively. See also Hybrid Sports.

Two Sports Combined

• Biathle — consists of swimming and running as part of a single race. It is usually over a shorter distance than the similar Aquathlon.
• Aquathlon — a continuous race involving swimming followed by running. It is usually over a shorter distance than the similar Biathle.
• Aquabike — a shortened version of triathlon, with no running leg. Athletes swim followed by cycling.
• Duathlon — similar to triathlon, running first, then cycling, then running again.
• Swimrun — involves multiple swim and run stages, while carrying all equipment and with no clothing changes.
• Biathlon — a combination of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.
• Summer Biathlon — a combined sport of roller skiing (or trail running) and rifle shooting.
• Biathlon Orienteering — a combination of the navigation sport of orienteering with rifle shooting.
• Laser Run — four legs of laser pistol shooting, each followed by an 800m run.
• Ski Archery — involves skiing and shooting arrows at targets.
• Chess boxing — a hybrid sport that combines the sport of boxing with games of chess in alternating rounds.

Three Sports Combined

• Triathlon — a race consisting of three events, usually swimming, cycling, and running in consecutive order.
• Nordic Combined — a Winter Olympics sport in which athletes compete in a combined event of Cross-Country Skiing and Ski Jumping.
• Winter Triathlon — athletes compete in running, mountain biking and cross-country skiing.
• Indoor Triathlon — swimming in an indoor pool, cycling on a stationary bike, and running on an indoor track or treadmill.
• Cross Triathlon — a variation of the traditional triathlon, with a swim stage, mountain-biking stage and a trail-running stage.
• Triathle — a shortened version of the Modern Pentathlon, athletes compete in shooting, swimming and running events as a part of a single race.
• Paratriathlon — for disabled athletes, involving a 750 m swim, a 20 km bike with handcycles, bicycles or tandems with a guide, and a 5 km wheelchair or running race.

Four Sports Combined

• Quadrathlon — an endurance sports event composed of the four individual disciplines of swimming, kayaking, cycling and running - also called quadriathlon.
• Tetrathlon — composed of 4 out of the 5 disciplines of Modern Pentathlon: Swimming, Running, Shooting and either Fencing or Equestrian.
• Racketlon — a combination sport, where players compete in the sports of table tennis, tennis, squash, and badminton.
• Ironman Surflifesaving — combines four major aspects of surflifesaving into a single race: swimming, board paddling, ski paddling, and beach running.
• Medley Swimming Relay — a swimming race in which teams of four race consecutively.

Five Sports Combined

• Modern Pentathlon — an event in the Olympics that comprises five events: fencing, 200m freestyle swimming, show jumping (to be replaced by an obstacle run?), and a combined event of pistol shooting and 3200m cross-country run.
• Ancient Pentathlon — the ancient Olympic pentathlon was an athletic competition which consisted of five events, running, javelin throw, discus throw, long jump, and wrestling.
• Athletics Pentathlon — a no longer held event comprising long jump, javelin, 200-meter run, discus, and 1500-meter run.
• Military Pentathlon — a competition involving a shooting phase, obstacle run, obstacle swimming, grenade throwing, and cross-country running.
• Naval Pentathlon — comprises an obstacle race, life-saving swimming race, utility swimming race, seamanship race, and an amphibious cross-country race.
• Winter Pentathlon — was a demonstration sport at the 1948 Winter Olympics, which involved a 10km cross-country ski race, pistol shooting, downhill skiing, fencing and a horse jumping equestrian course.

Many Sports Combined

• Heptathlon — a women's track and field multi-event comprising 7 events.
• Decathlon — a men's track and field event comprising 10 events.
• Aeronautical Pentathlon — despite the name, the sport has 6 events: shooting, fencing, orienteering, basketball skills, obstacle course and swimming.
• Adventure Racing — an event combining two or more endurance disciplines, such as Orienteering, Cross-Country Running, Mountain Biking, Paddling and Climbing. It is also called Expedition Racing.
• Icosathlon — a double decathlon consisting of 20 events, including the 10 traditional decathlon events with 10 additional track and field events.
• Tetradecathlon — a double heptathlon consisting of 14 events, including the 7 traditional heptathlon events with 7 additional track and field events.