Young Australians give thumbs-up to inclusion of Ninja-style Obstacle racing in Olympic Games

• A third of Gen Z and Millennial adults more likely to watch and follow Olympics with Pentathlon’s new format
• Poll results indicate common ground between Olympic audiences and viewers of Ninja-style TV shows
• YouGov survey consulted 1,500 Australians in run-up to LA28 and Brisbane 2032 Olympics

A third of young Australian adults are more likely to watch and follow the Olympic Games thanks to Modern Pentathlon's introduction of a Ninja-style Obstacle race, according to a survey commissioned by UIPM.

A poll of 1,500 Australian citizens undertaken by YouGov, the global public opinion and data company, found that 35% of Generation Z (born in 2000 and later) and 34% of Millennials (born between 1982 and 1999) were more likely to watch the Olympic Games on TV or livestream if it featured a Ninja-style Obstacle race.

The survey also found that 32% of Gen Z and 32% of Millennials were more likely to follow the Olympic Games on social media if it featured a Ninja-style Obstacle race – ahead of its debut as part of Modern Pentathlon at Los Angeles 2028.

The results of the poll indicate significant commonalities between audiences in Australia that consume the world’s largest multisport event and those who are interested in the entertainment shows whose popularity led to the integration of Obstacle racing into Pentathlon.

More than half of young-adult respondents (54% Gen Z; 48% Millennial) stated that they watched Obstacle racing shows either regularly or occasionally, while 84% of Gen Z and 83% of Millennials said they watched at least part of the Olympic Games.

The reimagined Pentathlon will enjoy its Olympic debut in two years’ time, more than a century after its introduction by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games. The Australian poll comes three years after a similar YouGov survey of the US population revealed a high appetite for Ninja-style Obstacle racing to be included in the Olympic programme.

When asked specifically about the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, there was further evidence of the appeal of Pentathlon’s new feature, with one in four respondents saying they would be more likely to attend the Games in person if it included Ninja-style Obstacle racing, a figure that was significantly higher for young adults (32% Gen Z; 31% Millennial).   

Australia has tasted success in the Olympic Pentathlon, Chloe Esposito having won Women’s Individual gold at Rio 2016. And the Australian public is backing the sport’s dynamic evolution, with 53% of those who said they were more likely to watch Modern Pentathlon in the Olympics since the integration of Obstacle stating “I enjoy Ninja-style Obstacle races” as their primary reason.