Athlete reaction: Paris 2024 Olympians look to the future

In the immediate aftermath of their competitions at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, 28 Olympic pentathletes spoke about their future in Modern Pentathlon.

WOMEN’S FINAL

ELODIE CLOUVEL (FRA)

“I want to try the new Obstacle discipline, it is important to me. I will probably take a pause right now. I would like to build a family, have a baby... And we will have four years to prepare for next Olympics in 2028. This time it was only three, so it makes a big difference. But yes, I didn’t say stop. I feel good in my body and in my mind. As I said, the old Elodie is back, and I still want more. So what’s coming will be beautiful.”

 

SEUNGMIN SEONG (KOR)

“Obviously I am the bronze medallist and first medallist for Korea for women. But I am looking to the future to get the gold medal. That’s my plan!”

 

BLANKA GUZI (HUN)

“Of course I will continue with Pentathlon. It’s not a question. Because I would like to get a medal at the next Olympics. I have never tried Obstacle before. It’s a really new thing for me and I haven’t planned the future until this day so I don’t know how it will go, but I will continue.”

 

ELENA MICHELI (ITA)

“It has been three tough years because I made many difficult choices and many people with me have done it. We trained alone, lonely for three years and that was difficult. I’ve been angry for three years. For many reasons that are difficult to explain now. I need to be thankful for the people who are by my side. I will definitely try for the next cycle for LA 2028.”

 

ILKE OZYUKSEL (TUR)

“All the time I’m in 6th place, competing for medals. I believe one day I will take this medal and until that I don't want to stop. I will continue because I am so focused for an Olympic medal, and I saw today I can do everything.”

 

KERENZA BRYSON (GBR)

“Obviously, for all of us [in Team GB] we’re a bit disappointed but we move on and there's another cycle ahead. I'm going to take some time off and decompress and then I'll be thinking about that after a holiday.”

 

LUCIE HLAVACKOVA (CZE)

“Now I am going to take a break for a little bit, for a few weeks, and after that we will see what will happen. I will definitely continue with Pentathlon. I will see what the future brings.”

 

MALAK ISMAIL (EGY)

“I'm very proud, very happy and very excited for the next four years to Los Angeles really. I hope I can be like the younger athletes now in Obstacle. They are more experienced now because they had been training Obstacle for I think more than two years. I haven’t been training Obstacle for the past while. I hope I can join them in the training. The Obstacle training is very exciting, so I hope I can do as they're doing now.”

 

ALICE SOTERO (ITA)

“I don’t know what is in my future. I just want to rest with my family and have time to decide what the future will be— to try to go to Los Angeles or to stop and do something in my career, in coaching or something else.”

 

MINGYU ZHANG (CHN)

“I will try very hard for LA 2028, that is the goal. I will try very hard with Obstacle. I am starting from zero because it is a new thing, but I am going to try very hard at it."

 

ANNIKA ZILLEKENS (GER)

“I always loved the Riding in Pentathlon but as we all know it was the time for changes. I think the new generation can live with the new format pretty well. I saw the new format and with the young athletes they are really happy with this. I think for us, for the older generation, it’s really hard to accept. But I see the younger ones and I see that they have fun in the new format and in the new sport. Me, I will stop. This was my last.”

 

LAURA ASADAUSKAITE (LTU)

“I’m really proud that I got to these Olympic Games. I feel really well. It’s all I dreamed about to be in my fifth Olympic Games. It’s a huge amount. I think after these Olympic Games I will continue. These could be my last Games, but I will continue.”

 

LAURA HEREDIA (ESP)

“From now on Pentathlon will change. The horse riding, we won’t have it again. So I have to adapt with a new discipline, which I haven’t tried yet, so we will see. I am an athlete who is always trying to do my best and work hard for what is coming next.”

 

MARIE OTEIZA (FRA)

“For now, it’s holidays. I need to digest the Final and then, of course, I plan to take my revenge at LA28.”

 

WOMEN’S SEMI-FINALS

 

SOPHIA HERNANDEZ (GUA)

“I’m hoping I can continue with the Athletes Committee and help who I can help, and just keep on going.”

 

SOL NARANJO (ECU) 

“I hope that the next Olympic Games I qualify again, do my best and do a better presentation. Yes, Obstacle looks amazing, and I think that is only at present in the Youths, not in the Seniors, but now I want to try it as soon as possible.”

 

MARIANA ARCEO (MEX)

“I will go to the next Olympic Games. I am happy for my body now for 2028, and 2032 too!”

 

JESSICA SAVNER (USA)

“It's my last time doing pentathlon, this is my retiring competition, so I'm very pleased.

“Like I said, this is my kind of retiring competition. I'm just kind of taking it one step at a time, really enjoying everything, and taking it all in.”

 

 

MEN’S FINAL

 

AHMED ELGENDY (EGY)

“Let me say that I am planning to be at Los Angeles 2028, maybe it will be the last try for me. As you know, I had a shoulder injury after Tokyo so it will be a little risky with Obstacle, but I am looking forward to Los Angeles 2028.”

 

EMILIANO HERNANDEZ (MEX)

“I was so close to the podium, but we will come back stronger. I don't know yet. I don't know what my next dream, my next goal will be. I will ask my coaches, my family, everyone who was supporting me, what they want me to do. So, I will be waiting for them.”

 

JOSEPH CHOONG (GBR)

“I think now, a nice couple of months’ holiday to work out what I want head-wise. I think I will carry on for another year at least, and then it’s very likely I’ll call it a day after that. I’d like to end on a more positive note than that. I would have to [do Obstacle] because that was the last ride ever.”

 

BALAZS SZEP (HUN)

“Now, I will have two months’ rest and then I will continue.”

 

JEAN-BAPTISTE MOURCIA (FRA)

“I have tasted what it is like to be in an Olympic competition. So I am definitely going to continue and try to win a medal next time. Now with Riding being taken out I will see how it is with the new Obstacle discipline. We will see.”

 

CSABA BOHM (HUN)

“I need some rest now. Going to have a month to recover, to think over things. I don't know the future, but I will maybe train to build myself up.”

 

MOHANAD SHABAN (EGY)

“Really, I feel sad now. It was for me a very bad competition from the beginning, even in the Fencing and the Semi-final and the Final. Then in the end I fall down from the horse and get elimination. Maybe God sees that it’s good for me, for the future to be better and stronger. One from Egypt has the podium and the gold medal and I’m very happy. I will see you in LA.”

 

MEN’S SEMI-FINALS

 

VLADYSLAV CHEKAN (UKR)

“I just finished junior years last year and already have competed with Obstacle race back to the Junior World Championships. I’m a guy who was OK and maybe even good with changing the horse to the obstacle because of the horse draw, every Olympic Games something bad happening to the athlete. And it’s so painful when you train all your life, a sports career is so small compared to the whole life so when a horse is destroying all your preparation, it is not so good. Obstacle in this moment is much better because it’s all in your hands.”

 

ANDRES FERNANDEZ (GUA)

“I am really happy and I am grateful to everyone. I am never going to forget this. I am going to work to make sure this will not be my last.”

 

OLEKSANDR TOVKAI (UKR)

“I will continue my sports career after the Olympics and try the new format.” 

 

All athlete reaction from Modern Pentathlon at Paris 2024 can be read via the following links:

• Women’s Final
• Men’s Final
• Women’s Semi-final B
• Women’s Semi-final A
• Men’s Semi-final B
• Men’s Semi-final A
• Women’s Fencing
• Men’s Fencing