Abstract

This exploratory qualitative study examined elite modern pentathletes’ experiences of psychological pressure during the laser run, a decisive endurance-precision event combining high-intensity running with laser shooting under cumulative fatigue. Six elite modern pentathletes (five male, one female) with extensive age-group and/or senior international competition experience participated in semi-structured interviews exploring their perceptions of pressure sources, temporal experiences, and regulation strategies during the laser run. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, generating four themes: performance pressure comes from self, pressure build-up, physical changes, and performance pressure strategies during races.
Athletes described pressure as predominantly self-generated, arising from internal expectations and interpretations of performance significance rather than external demands. Pressure was experienced as a cumulative temporal process, developing over the days before the competition, intensifying on race morning, and peaking during critical moments of the laser run. Notably, pressure manifested as an embodied experience, expressed through altered running pace, disrupted shooting rhythm, and heightened bodily sensations during performance. In response, athletes reported using flexible psychological strategies, including attentional control, self-talk, and arousal regulation, to manage pressure as it emerged during competition.
These findings extend existing performance-focused research in modern pentathlon by foregrounding athletes’ lived experiences and highlighting the dynamic interplay between psychological demands, physical responses, and self-regulation during endurance-precision tasks. The study provides applied insight relevant to coaches and practitioners supporting athletes performing under conditions of fatigue and competitive consequence, emphasizing the value of athlete-centered approaches that address internal evaluative processes, recognize pressure as temporally dynamic, and integrate cognitive and physiological regulation strategies.