UIPM 2022 Pentathlon World Cup Cairo: Micheli (ITA) and Kandil (EGY) lead the way in exciting Women’s Semi-final

• 18 athletes progress through Semi-finals with 10 nations represented in Saturday’s Final 
• Another joyous day for Italy with pace-setter Micheli leading three Italians into Final
• UIPM President praises the success of New Format in first World Cup of 2022

Italy’s Elena Micheli continued her blistering start to the World Cup season as she set the pace in Thursday’s pulsating Women’s Semi-finals of the UIPM 2022 Pentathlon World Cup Cairo. 

In the first Semi-final under Modern Pentathlon’s exciting New Format, which features elimination at every stage, the women who lined up in the Egyptian capital knew there were only 18 coveted places in Saturday’s Final available. 

With the top seven from each of the two Semi-final groups progressing, along with the four next best performers, there was precious little room for error. 

In the Semi-final A group, it was Micheli, who led the pack in Tuesday’s Qualification round, who again blazed a trail to the front of the field. The UIPM 2019 Pentathlon World Championships silver medalist enjoyed a steady Fencing Bonus Round before being fastest in the pool and then holding off the challenge of Hungary’s Michelle Gulyas in the Laser Run, with British duo Jessica Varley and Olivia Green not too far behind. 

In the B group there was plenty for the host nation to cheer as Amira Kandil (EGY) came out top of the pile with an impressively consistent display. The Tokyo Olympian is still a teenager but had confirmed her status as one to watch for the Paris Olympic cycle when she took U19 Women’s glory at the UIPM 2021 Youth World Championships, also in Egypt last September. 

On Thursday she finished narrowly ahead of Germany’s Rebecca Langrehr with Emma Whitaker (GBR) in third place in the B group. On a great day for Italy, Maria Lea Lopez and Aurora Tognetti also progressed to Saturday’s Final, which is shaping up to be an unmissable contest. 

Ten nations will be represented by the 18 competitors in the Women’s Final, which will see all five disciplines take place in a 90-minute showcase.

UIPM President Dr. Klaus Schormann said: “Today’s Women’s Semi-final has been a new experience for everyone involved and the results have been very exciting. I hope for similar in tomorrow’s Men’s Semi-final. What we have seen is that this step we have made with the New Format for our great sport is that it works. 

“The first World Cup of the 2022 season has been held in excellent facilities here at the American University in Cairo. I thank the Egyptian government and the national federation for their dedicated support. 

“I also cannot forget that we are having a competition knowing that war continues in Ukraine and all of our thoughts are with our friends there and the Ukrainian people. We are happy that we have a Ukrainian representative here in the Men’s competition in Cairo. I thank the Polish Federation and their President, our UIPM EB Member for Sport Janusz Peciak, for their kindness hosting Ukrainian athletes in their country now. I hope again that sport can be a part of peace. As IOC President Dr. Thomas Bach has said, give peace a chance.”

Pentathlon World Cup Cairo continues tomorrow (March 25) with the Men’s Semi-finals, when similarly 36 athletes will vie to make it through to the Final. The Men’s and Women’s Finals take place on the same day, Saturday March 26th. 

Live stream of the Finals will be available on UIPM TV and up-to-date results of all competitions are available at the UIPM website.

The list of qualified athletes for the Women’s Final is available here: