Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: UIPM releases dates for qualification competitions in 2021

• Pentathlon World Cups in Budapest (HUN), Sofia (BUL) and Seoul (KOR) confirmed
• Dates fixed for Pentathlon and Laser Run World Championships in Minsk (BLR)
• UIPM 2020 Biathle/Triathle World Championships in Weiden (GER) moved to 2021

The road to Tokyo for the Olympic Games in 2021 is now fully mapped out for modern pentathletes after UIPM published dates for the remaining qualification competitions.

After the COVID-19 Coronavirus forced its postponement, the Tokyo 2020 Games will take place in the capital city of Japan from July 23 to August 8, 2021, and Modern Pentathlon’s revised qualification system was announced on April 30.

Now athletes, coaches and their support teams can draw up plans for the 2021 season in the knowledge that all the remaining competitions relevant to Olympic qualification will take place in a 12-week period between March 24 and June 13.

UIPM’s showpiece competition, the UIPM 2021 Pentathlon and Laser Run World Championships, will be held in Minsk (BLR) from June 7-13. As previously announced, this will be the final opportunity to secure either automatic qualification places for the Olympic Games or points that count towards the UIPM Olympic World Ranking List.

The UIPM Olympic World Ranking List will be finalised a day after the competition, on June 14, to determine most of the remaining quota places.

Following the cancellation of the UIPM 2020 Pentathlon World Cup series after only one round (UIPM 2020 Pentathlon World Cup Cairo), the three affected host cities quickly agreed with UIPM that they would host the equivalent World Cups – with the retained prestige of Olympic qualification – in 2021.

Dates for those competitions are now listed below, with the series culminating in Seoul (KOR) where the UIPM 2021 Pentathlon World Cup Final will take place from May 13-16.

The dates are as follows:

• March 24-28: UIPM 2021 Pentathlon World Cup Budapest
• April 7-11: UIPM 2021 Pentathlon World Cup Sofia I
• April 15-18: UIPM 2021 Pentathlon World Cup Sofia II
• May 13-16: UIPM 2021 Pentathlon World Cup Final Seoul

All other UIPM competitions scheduled for 2020 and 2021 remain to be confirmed, except for one. The UIPM 2020 Biathle/Triathle World Championships has been cancelled and the host city, Weiden (GER), has agreed instead to host the same competition in 2021 from August 25-29.

Other announcements relating to events such as the UIPM 2020 Congress in Xiamen (CHN), the UIPM 2020 Pentathlon World Championships in Cancun (MEX) and under-age competitions will follow in June and July 2020.

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “We are continuing to experience a period of intense disruption in our everyday lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the sporting calendar has been devastated by the travel restrictions and social distancing.

“In this very difficult situation, I am pleased that we are able to provide our Modern Pentathlon community with some clarity today around the dates for Olympic qualification competitions in 2021, and also the UIPM Biathle/Triathle World Championships.

“To our athletes, coaches and National Federations, I hope you can now start planning ahead – and let us look forward to happier times and savour the prospect of an unforgettable season in 2021 culminating in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

“For now, I ask all of you to do everything you can to stay safe, safe healthy and look after your loved ones, so that we can emerge stronger as a global sporting society from this terrible crisis.”

Visit the UIPM events calendar to view all fixed competition dates.