UIPM 2017 Champion of Champions: Stars come out for seasonal climax in Doha

For the fourth time in five years the world’s leading pentathletes have congregated in the magical city of Doha for the season-ending UIPM Champion of Champions.

After a busy 2017 there will be one last race for one of Modern Pentathlon’s most sought-after prizes, and the seasonal climax is sure to be dramatic with 18 male and female athletes invited based on their ranking.

The roll call of athletes includes the 2016 Olympic gold medallist, Alexander Lesun (RUS), and silver medallist Elodie Clouvel (FRA), the 2016 world champion Valentin Belaud (FRA) and the 2017 World Cup Final winner Tamara Alekszejev (HUN).

In the 2016 Champion of Champions Germany emerged triumphant in both the men’s and women’s events thanks to Patrick Dogue and Annika Schleu, and Dogue (GER) returns this year to defend his title.

Among the other contenders are likely to be Joseph Choong (GBR), world junior champion Daniele Colasanti (ITA) and Jaroslaw Swiderski (POL), bronze medallist at the World Cup Final.

On the women’s side Italy look strong with Alice Sotero competing alongside Gloria Tocchi, while Ekaterina Khuraskina (RUS) is another athlete who has good form in 2017 behind her.

The UIPM President, Dr Klaus Schormann, said: “We are very happy to be back in the magical city of Doha, which is staging this competition for the fourth time and we know that the UIPM Champion of Champions is always a highlight of the season for our athletes, coaches and fans watching all around the world.

“Qatar and the city of Doha have shown a commitment to organising international sports events and proved they can provide the highest level of infrastructure, hospitality and organisational resources.

“Doha is a special pillar of our movement and I thank our hosts, the Qatar Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon Federation, the Qatar Olympic Committee and Qatar Foundation, as well as all the volunteers who will make the 2017 Champion of Champions such a special occasion.”

The action will take place on October 21 for women and October 22 for men at the Qatar Foundation Recreation Centre and Al Shaqab Arena. As with last year, one place is reserved for an athlete from the host nation, Qatar.

Dr Schormann added: “One year ago during the 2016 UIPM Champion of Champions, we witnessed a very special moment of sportsmanship.

“For the first time we saw an athlete from Qatar participate at this high level and when he completed his final lap of the Laser-Run, all the other athletes gathered at the finish line to applaud him.

“This was a true expression of the values of Olympic sport, as established by the founder of the Modern Olympic Games and Modern Pentathlon, Baron Pierre de Coubertin. These values remain central to our sporting movement today.”

Follow the UIPM website, Facebook, and Twitter pages for results this weekend.