UIPM 2022 Youth World Championships: Shin (KOR) and Mohamed (EGY) are U19 world champions

• Korea finish competition on a high as Shin, 16, completes individual double
• Popov earns silver for Ukraine as France, Hungary and Mexico earn medals
• U17 Mixed Relay glory takes Egypt to eight golds on Super Sunday

Sumin Shin of Korea and Moutaz Mohamed of Egypt are the new Under 19 world champions after outstanding performances at the UIPM 2022 Youth World Championships.

For 16-year-old Shin (KOR), today’s achievement completed a remarkable double as she had already become U17 world champion earlier in the week.

The individual gold medal for Mohamed (EGY) and men’s team gold extended his country’s tally to seven, and they won an eighth title for good measure in the closing event, the U17 Mixed Relay.

France, Hungary and Mexico also won medals on ‘Super Sunday’, the final day of the competition, while Roman Popov earned U19 individual silver for Ukraine.

Thirty-six U19s became the first to compete across three days (Qualification / Semi-finals / Final) according to the new elimination format designed for the Paris 2024 Olympic cycle. In total, more than 260 athletes from 35 nations competed in the combined championships.

U19 Women’s Final

Having won the U17 title just three days ago, Shin (KOR) came into the U19 showpiece on the back of a strong Fencing Ranking Round in which she topped the standings with 25V/10D. She added four Bonus Points for good measure. Not far behind were team-mates Malak Ismail and Jana Attia (EGY) with 24 and 23 victories respectively.

A sensational swim of 2min 14.90sec enabled Malgorzata Karbownik of Poland to make her way up the leaderboard, with Ismail (EGY) the only other athlete to break 2:20.

Ismail (EGY) thus started the Laser Run as overall leader, only for another slick performance by the new kid on the block to leave everyone else competing for silver and bronze.

Shin (KOR) timed a second-fastest 11:48.54 to take gold by a 10sec margin from Ismail (EGY), even though the standout Laser Run performance of 11:30.16 came from bronze medallist Blanka Bauer (HUN), who almost caught Ismail (EGY) on the line.

Fourth place went to Gabrielle Holland of Great Britain, with Jiho Shin (KOR) and Dorina Dobronyi (HUN) completing the top six. Team gold went to Korea, silver to Hungary and bronze to Egypt.

Gold medallist Shin (KOR) said: “I’m so happy. Laser Run was good, especially my running. I was good at Fencing, and Swimming was so-so. My favourite discipline is Laser Run.

“My dream is to win an Olympic medal. My favourite athlete is Woongtae Jun.”

U19 Men’s Final

Action in the Ranking Round was incredibly tight, demonstrating a high standard of Fencing, and Hubert Skibiak (POL) was finally tied with Popov (UKR) on 23V/12D. Quinn Schultz of Canada added six points in the Bonus Round on the back of 22V/13D to stay in the frame, while Mohamed (EGY) and compatriot Mazen Shaban (EGY) also managed 22 wins.

To the delight of local spectators, Matteo Bovenzi of Italy dominated in Swimming with an exceptional time of 1min 56.83sec, with Mohamed (EGY) coming a distant second in 2:03.08 and Skibiak (POL) next-fastest.

It meant that only 1sec separated leader Skibiak (POL) and Mohamed (EGY) at the start of Laser Run, with Popov (UKR) and Schultz (CAN) also within 10sec of the lead.

An excellent Laser Run time of 10:17.96 enabled Mohamed (EGY) – who was U17 world champion in 2019 – to claim the top spot on the podium, while a 10:29 for Popov (UKR) brought a silver medal and joy to supporters around the world. Yet another medal went home to North Africa as Mohamed Mohamed (EGY) fended off the two-pronged challenge of Etienne Clergeau and Diego Lavillat (FRA) to win bronze.

Team gold went to Egypt, silver to Korea and bronze to France.

Gold medallist Mohamed (EGY) said: “It feels amazing. I was very excited about this race and I did a lot of work with my coaches and every member of my family was supporting me.

“It feels great to once again be world champion. Last year I got the 3rd place [having won U17 gold in 2019]. I have a very good Laser Run and my coach trained me well. I want to say thank you to my federation, to my family, to my coaches, to my friends and everyone who supported me, and to UIPM.

“My target is the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.”

U17 Mixed Relay

At the end of an exceptionally prolific week, it was no surprise to see Egypt on top of the podium once again, thanks to a powerful Mixed Relay performance by Ganah Elgindy and Marwan Allam.

Poland (Hanna Jakubowska & Krystian Trepczyk) had the fastest Swimming performance of 2min 00.72sec, ahead of Turkey (Eda Ozrodop & Ahmet Onder) and France (Auge Leonie & Matthis Issaka), but there was a complete turnaround in the Laser Run and a whole new podium emerged.

With the day’s fastest Laser Run of 8:24, Egypt (Elgindy/Allam) finished 8sec ahead of silver medallists Emma Meszaros and Adam Peter of Hungary, while Mexico earned their second medal of the competition as Gandhy Miranda and Daira Tavira took bronze.

Elgindy (EGY) said: “It was a really amazing race, and the shooting and running felt so easy. I told myself that I should give Marwen the first place to get me the first place, and thank God it came good today.”

Allam (EGY) added: “I was worried that the Hungarian girl was finishing well and I knew the Hungarian man finished before me yesterday, but the second shooting was good and then for the second 600m I had some space.

“I hope to reach the Olympic Games in 2028, God willing, and I know Ganah feels the same.”

 

UIPM Executive Board reaction

Rob Stull OLY, UIPM Executive Board Member and President of the NORCECA Modern Pentathlon Confederation, said: “We’ve just had eight days of competition in Lignano Sabbiadoro for the UIPM 2022 Youth World Championships for U19 and U17 athletes, and it was extraordinary to be back in Italy – one of the homes of Pentathlon.

“The competition itself was remarkable, we’re on the beach in Italy at the end of summer and the young athletes had a wonderful time. We saw good results from five continents and we saw the stars of the future here, two years before Paris 2024.

“A great experience was had by all and I’m sure the experiences the kids take away will be phenomenal. I think they will go away super-energised and motivated for what they want to do in sport and in life.”

 

Watch and follow

The UIPM 2022 Youth World Championships ran from September 4-11 and all results are available at the UIPM website or by downloading ‘UIPM Central’ from your app store.

The next competition on the calendar is the UIPM 2022 Junior World Championships in Zielona Gora (POL) from October 2-9.

Follow World Pentathlon on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram throughout the season for additional content.

 

Daily reports

UIPM 2022 Youth World Championships (U19/U17)

September 4: (U19) Men’s Relay; (U17) Women’s Qualification

September 5: (U19) Women’s Relay; (U17) Men’s Qualification

September 6: (U19) Mixed Relay; (U17) Women’s Semi-finals

September 7: (U19) Women’s Qualification; (U17) Men’s Semi-finals

September 8: (U19) Men’s Qualification; (U17) Women’s Final, Men’s Final

September 9: (U19) Women’s Semi-finals; (U17) Women’s Relay

September 10: (U19) Men’s Semi-finals; (U17) Men’s Relay

September 11: (U19) Women’s Final; Men’s Final; (U17) Mixed Relay