Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: Modern Pentathlon line-up revealed

• Five Olympic medallists and 11 world champions set for ultimate challenge
• Eight countries from four continents achieve maximum athlete quota
• President Schormann backs pentathletes to deliver ‘unforgettable competition’

The 72 athletes who will compete in Modern Pentathlon at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have been named by the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM).

The identity of the 36 female and 36 male qualifiers was revealed in a special digital TV broadcast on UIPM’s social media channels, kickstarting a five-week build-up to the Olympic Modern Pentathlon, which will provide one of the highlights of the Games from August 5-7.

After an epic qualification adventure on the road to Tokyo, eight countries from four continents will be represented by the maximum quota of four athletes – China, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Korea and Mexico, with 31 nations represented in all.

Only two medallists from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games – silver medallists Elodie Clouvel (FRA) and Pavlo Tymoshchenko of Ukraine – feature in the line-up, which also contains London 2012 gold medallist Laura Asadauskaite of Lithuania and bronze medallist Adam Marosi (HUN), as well as Beijing 2008 bronze medallist Anastasiya Prokopenko of Belarus.

Alongside those Olympic icons, another seven individual world champions will be aiming for glory in Tokyo – Volha Silkina (BLR), Gulnaz Gubaydullina (ROC), Sarolta Kovacs (HUN), two-time world champion Valentin Belaud (FRA), James Cooke (GBR), Jinhwa Jung (KOR) and Justinas Kinderis (LTU).

The importance of experience was underlined at the UIPM 2021 Pentathlon and Laser Run World Championships when 36-year-old Marosi (HUN) and 35-year-old Prokopenko (BLR) claimed the individual titles – but there is also a wave of disruptive young talent emerging.

Aged 21, Michelle Gulyas (HUN) is one of the youngest pentathletes to go to an Olympic Games ranked No.1 in the world, while 21-year-old Ahmed Elgendy (EGY) flies the flag for the next generation as the reigning Youth Olympic Games champion from Buenos Aires 2018.

Twelve months later than originally planned, the action will begin with the Fencing Ranking Round at Musashino Forest Plaza on August 5, followed by the rest of the Women’s Final on August 6 and the Men’s Final on August 7 – with all five disciplines taking place in one arena at Tokyo Stadium.

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “The Olympic Games is the pinnacle of our sport and my congratulations go to the 72 athletes who have qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics taking place in 2021.

“It has been a difficult period not only for the athletes but also their coaches and trainers and support teams, with so much uncertainty linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to our strong partnerships with competition organisers in Egypt, Bulgaria and Hungary we have delivered a fair qualification pathway to the Olympic Games in a safe and secure environment.

“Now we can look forward to a very special Olympic Games, which will be a symbol of hope and regeneration for the whole world. The Modern Pentathlon is the embodiment of the Olympic values and we have 72 excellent athletes who I know will deliver an unforgettable competition for viewers in all countries watching and supporting them from home.”

Watch and follow

As well as watching the Olympic Modern Pentathlon on TV networks in all countries, supporters can download the official Tokyo 2020 app and visit the Tokyo 2020 website for content and information about Modern Pentathlon.

Followers should also stay tuned to the UIPM website and follow UIPM on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, VK, Weibo and YouTube.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: Modern Pentathlon qualifiers