Egypt’s champion Ahmed Osama El-Gendy won a gold medal in the men’s final at UIPM (International Modern Pentathlon Union)’s Pentathlon first World Cup, hosted by Egypt, on Sunday.

In team mix-relay, Egypt’s team Haidy Adel and El-Gendy came first.

The event was held from 27 February to 3 March at the Platinum Sports Club in New Cairo.

Men’s finals result

El-Gendy finished first with a total 1,465 points – 240 in fencing, 306 in swimming, 293 in riding and 626 in laser-run.

“It was a good day,” he told Ahram Online.

“There was strong competition with my French rival Valentin Belaud. We were so close in our results in fencing and swimming: Belaud was first place and I was second. After the equestrian, I moved up to first place and he went down to seventh place.”

The Czech Republic’s Jan Kuf came second with 1,448 points; he scored 220 in fencing, 279 in swimming, 300 in riding and 631 in laser-run.

“The difference between me and Kuf was only 22 seconds,” El-Gendy said.

Lithuanian Justinas Kinderis won third place with a score of 1,435 points – 232 in fencing, 289 in swimming, 279 in riding and 635 in laser-run.

Egyptian Modern Pentathlon Federation’s Sherif El-Arian said: “The performance of the Egyptian pentathletes was magnificent. I have no complaints. I was hoping that more than two athletes would be able to reach the finals in both the men’s and women’s events. Our main target is collecting the maximum points to get qualified for the UIPM 2019 World Cup Finals in Tokyo, Japan from 27-30 June.”

Team mix-relay final result

The Egyptian mix-relay team of Haidy Adel and El-Gendy won the gold with a score of 1,432 points – 237 in fencing, 301 in swimming, 286 in riding and 588 in laser-run.

The Czech Republic team comprised of Eliska Pribylova and Ondrej Polivka scored 1,369 points and Hungarians Kamilla Reti and Illés Szabó won the bronze with 1,383 points.

“Adel and I finished in first position in both fencing and riding competitions. Laser-run was good but in swimming not quite as good - we came in eighth,” said El-Gendy.

“I think this is the best fencing event we ever had. We also did an amazing riding course with two magnificent horses - 45 seconds’ difference between us and the Czech team,” added Adel.

El-Gendy said that he is recovering from a back injury and “feels much better now.”

El-Gendy and Adel will compete in the second UIPM World Cup which will be held in Sofia, Bulgaria, from 10 to 14 April.

“I am hoping to compete in the UIPM 2019 World Cup Finals in Tokyo, Japan from 27 to 30 June to qualify for the Olympics,” said El-Gendy, smiling.

The president of the UIPM, Klaus Schormann, told Ahram Online that: “On the way to Olympics Games Tokyo 2020, we are in the last two important years. I wasn’t here last year in Cairo but my colleagues said that the World Cup this year was increased in the management operation.”

“The judges, referees and the competition as a whole is at the level of a World Cup. This is clear. There are no complaints. We are looking forward to the first World Cup next year in 2020 in Egypt at the beginning of the season,” he said.

Schormann added, “We talked and discussed with EMPF’s President El-Arian what we are going to do as next steps for the coming year. The atmosphere between the organising committee and UIPM is good. We reviewed together what we have to do to increase it and make it better.”

“I am so happy that the results are unexpected. It is always changing, and this is a good point for our sport -- every country can stand on the podium.”

Testing new youth system

UIPM are also discussing and preparing a new system for youth modern pentathletes at the Youth Olympic Games in 2022 in Senegal, Schormann explained, saying they are “in a testing period.”

“It is something completely new that never existed before…There are going to be several tests events in four or five countries: Egypt, Hungary, France and Spain,” he said.

“After the tests we will put all the results together and evaluate them. We will see if we will need more tests or not. At UIPM’s Congress in 2020, we will discuss and make a final decision.”

Women’s finals result

Russian Uliana Batashova won first place in the women’s event with a total of 1,358 points. Her scores were 220 in fencing, 277 in swimming, 300 in riding and 561 in laser-run.

Irish athlete Natalya Coyle came second with a total of 1,347 points – 238 in fencing, 271 in swimming, 300 in riding and 538 in laser-run.

Hungarian Sarolta Kovacs finished third with a total 1,341points – 258 in fencing, 288 in swimming, 300 in riding and 495 in laser-run.

Egyptians Haidy Adel and Noureen Boulos had succeeded in qualifying for the final but did not medal.

“The competition was so furious” now that the Olympics is approaching, said Adel, who came in 21st place.

She also finished in eighth position in the senior’s fencing event at the World Cup, and 17th place in riding.

“I am not annoyed with my results,” she said. “It sounds good for me as a start at the beginning of the season. There are some mistakes I made and I will try to fix them.”

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