Athlete Catch-up: Olympic Pentathlon champion Ahmed Elgendy (EGY) inspired by visit of IOC President Kirsty Coventry as comeback draws closer

Paris 2024 Olympic champion Ahmed Elgendy of Egypt says a meeting with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry during UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Cup Budapest has strengthened his belief in the future of Modern Pentathlon and fuelled his determination to return to competition.

Elgendy (EGY) was among a group of elite athletes invited to meet President Coventry as she experienced the reimagined sport first-hand, watching the new-look Fencing and Obstacle elements before discussing the evolution of Pentathlon with Elgendy’s fellow Paris 2024 gold medallist Michelle Gulyas of Hungary and others.

The visit marked an important opportunity for competitors to share their perspectives on the sport's transformation and growing global reach.

For Elgendy (EGY), the occasion was particularly significant. The two-time Olympic medallist has been sidelined with shoulder injuries since winning gold in France, but is now back in training and targeting a return to competition.

What was it like to meet the IOC President?

It was a great experience. Today we had a special guest, the IOC President, Mrs Kirsty Coventry, and she watched the Fencing Direct Elimination and the Obstacle racing. We had a small chat with her and I think she enjoyed watching the competition.

We were with Olympic champion Michelle Gulyas, Sofia Cabrera from Guatemala and Shuai Luo from China. We talked about the new format in Modern Pentathlon, the 90-minute competition and the change from Riding to Obstacle. We shared how we see the changes and how happy we are with them because the sport has become more accessible to many countries.

What impressions did you take away from this competition?

For the first time in Modern Pentathlon history we had four qualification groups in the Men's Qualification, and we saw athletes from many countries and different continents.

The atmosphere was amazing. There were many people cheering for the Hungarian athletes and the venue set-up was incredible. We like competitions like this and we aim to do even better in every country that hosts World Cups or World Championships. Hungary is very good at organising competitions, so this wasn't surprising.

Did this week in Budapest make you eager to return to Pentathlon?

Definitely. When I saw the athletes competing in the Finals and heard the crowd cheering, I felt motivated and hungry to be back in competition again.

Hopefully I can return at the UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Championships in China. If not, it will be next season, but I'm aiming to be back soon.

How is your recovery progressing?

Returning to training is a little bit hard, but it's also very interesting. I always find myself in sport and in training, so I'm very happy to be back.

I'm very happy to be in this vibe and this atmosphere again. Being around the athletes and seeing the competition has given me even more motivation.

What are your long-term goals?

I'm looking forward to Los Angeles 2028 and for another Olympic medal in 2028.

That's the big target and what I'm working towards every day.