Modern Pentathlon at Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Women’s Semi-final A reaction

Modern Pentathlon competition at the 2024 Olympic Games moved up a pace at the stunning surrounds of the Palace of Versailles on Saturday morning where the Women’s Semi-finals took place. Here is a rapid round-up of athlete reaction from the Mixed Zone after Semi-final A:

Kerenza Bryson (GBR), 1st in Semi-final A: “I’m really happy, really pleased that I executed the races I wanted and progressing through to the Final tomorrow.

“It was amazing. I really loved it. The crowd were amazing for the French and for all the athletes, I thought, and I was really trying to use that energy to help me run faster.

“I like to be quite relaxed and quite chilled and have fun and just kind of take it all in as I go. I'm not too strict about being in a really isolated zone. I was looking around, trying to spot all the people who have come out to support me in the crowd. I'm really happy that a lot of people have come out from England to be here for me, and they look like they're enjoying the atmosphere as well. So, I'm happy.”

Elena Micheli (ITA), 2nd in Semi-final A: “I'm happy. It was one of my goals for this competition. Going to the Final, it means that I'm between the top 18 athletes across the world at the Olympics. That's not something that [everyone] can achieve. So I'm happy. I'm not so satisfied about my shooting today, because it has been tough. We are in Paris, and there was Marie [Oteiza] by me, and it was like paying attention to the crowd and the screens. So, I got a little bit distracted, but it's okay. Sport by sport I'll try to do my best.

“Amazing. The venue, it's incredible. As I said a few days ago, and today, it was completely full. It's really amazing. It's something that I never I've never felt before, and something that I won't forget so easily.

“I think that the key is to be focused, like my homework. I need to be focused on what I have to do to do it in the best way.”

Alice Sotero (ITA), 3rd in Semi-final A: “Yes, I’m happy. I started in 17th place. I came 3rd. My running and Swimming were very good. Also the Bonus Round helped me for some points. My Riding and my horse was great. So now tomorrow is the Final. I hoped to do well in Fencing but yesterday was not good. But I came from an infection in my eye and I can’t see well from my left eye, so it’s a good thing to be here in the Final and tomorrow I want to be happy for my race. Yeah, I fight because two months ago they said I had a very hard infection that I need to operate on my eye. So I will finish the Olympics and then I need to take care of myself.

“I like this format because there is no time to focus too much on the discipline before, you have to keep moving forward. I don’t want to say too much about tomorrow. It’s a completely other race, other Riding, other horses. I just want to be here tomorrow and be the best for me.”

Seungmin Seong (KOR), 4th in Semi-final A: "It’s my first time in the Olympic Games. I was very nervous in Riding because so many people came to the arena. The Riding has been nice, so it was a very good experience today and the Swimming and the shooting, I think I did very well as an athlete. In the Laser Run there were a few more mistakes. Tomorrow, I hope to stop the mistakes in the shooting. Tomorrow, I hope to go to the podium.

“I will go back to the hotel to have a bit of an easy time. Recovery is very, very important because tomorrow in the morning we’re starting the Final, so I can prepare in the afternoon and evening. Today I want to eat some Korean food to prepare for the Final.”

Marie Oteiza (FRA), 7th in Semi-final A: “I knew there were around 15,000 people there and many of them cheering for me, so I enjoyed those moments with them and the adrenaline shoot! At other moments I knew I had to stay focused on the job. Swimming was OK, it was my average time, I would have hoped to swim faster but still satisfied.

“It could be very disturbing to have that crowd around, but I have worked on it for some time. I feel like this French public is benevolent, it feels really good to hear them cheer for us.

“This afternoon I will rest, watch Elodie [Clouvel} from the Olympic Village, I am sure she will be through easily to the Final. And recover from all those emotions today!”

Malak Ismail (EGY), 8th in Semi-final A: “I feel amazing, very proud of myself. This was my first target and here I am now getting it, into the Finals of the Olympics. In the Riding at first I was a little bit nervous because the horse that was chosen for me, the Egyptian athlete, Ahmed Elgendy, rode it yesterday and he didn’t do quite well. I was a little bit afraid. But I did my best and I was happy with my result.

“I think I was in control in the Laser Run but my pistol didn’t think so! I was a bit worried because the athletes behind me are very strong runners. We are all really strong. I am very happy because it all went well.”

Annika Zillekens (GER), 10th in Semi-final A: “Actually it’s kind of sad because it’s not the last ride in the Pentathlon, but it’s just my last competition. 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.

“Of course it was really emotional. I really had the wish to come back to make a happy last result in the Olympics. I wished for something better. I was really sad about the refusal I had in the Riding but it was not the fault of the horse or anything. I just knocked the first hole of the combination and it was pretty hard to jump out of the combination, but it’s alright, it was just a mistake. I am really happy that I still made a good competition at the end and it’s so sad that it’s just two points to miss out on the Final.

“Yes, after Tokyo it was a really tough time and I was really happy that I was able to come back and that all of the Pentathlon world was so nice to me and welcomed me back really nicely. So that was when I made the decision to try for another Olympics and I’m really happy with this decision even if it is not the Hollywood story that I wished for. I think for me, mentally, it’s a better ending to stop here in Paris than when I stopped in Tokyo.”