UIPM 2023 Pentathlon and Laser Run World Championships: All you need to know

• Up to six Paris 2024 Olympic quota places up for grabs in Bath (GBR)
• Micheli (ITA) and Choong (GBR) return to defend individual world titles
• More than 750 athletes gather for festival of Modern Pentathlon and Laser Run

More than 750 budding world champions from 54 nations across six continents will congregate in the ancient spa city of Bath to compete in the UIPM 2023 Pentathlon and Laser Run World Championships over the next 10 days.

Athletes aged nine and under will compete in the youngest Laser Run category at the University of Bath, at the same time as 2022 Modern Pentathlon world champions Elena Micheli of Italy and Joseph Choong of Great Britain prepare to defend their titles at the apex of the sport.

The Women’s Individual categories at the Laser Run World Championships, which incorporates the UIPM Para Laser Run World Championships, kick off the action tomorrow (August 19), with the Modern Pentathlon Mixed Relay closing proceedings on Monday, August 28.

Many eyes will be on Super Sunday (August 27), when the new elite Modern Pentathlon world champions and medallists will be crowned and up to six athletes (three women and three men) will secure direct qualification quota places at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

With 196 athletes from 39 countries registering for UIPM’s flagship competition, there is a marked increase in athlete numbers compared to the UIPM 2022 Pentathlon World Championships, which attracted 170 competitors from 35 countries.

The prestige of this competition and clamour for success has rarely been higher, with 47 of the world’s top-50-ranked athletes on the start list.

All six Modern Pentathlon confederations will be represented and China has entered the most athletes (14), followed by Hungary and Italy (13), host nation Great Britain (12), France (11) and Egypt (10).

 

Paris 2024 countdown

To date, nine female and nine male pentathletes have secured direct qualification quota places at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, thanks to their performances at the UIPM 2023 Pentathlon World Cup Final in Ankara (TUR) and the 3rd European Games in Krakow (POL).

If any of the pre-qualified athletes finish in the top three of the Women’s or Men’s Individual Finals on August 27, that quota place will go back into the mix for athletes trying to qualify via the UIPM Olympic Pentathlon World Ranking.

Click here for more information about the Paris 2024 qualification process.

Pentathlon focus: women

Female athletes from 32 nations will bid to prove they are the best in the world – but they will have to perform at their peak to take that status away from the Italians.

In a rare treble sweep, Italy currently has possession of the 2022 women’s World Championships and 2023 World Cup Final gold medals – thanks to Micheli (ITA) – while Alice Sotero (ITA) occupies the world No.1 ranking after her world record-breaking victory at the European Games on July 1.

Was it a 12-month surge or a lasting period of Azzurri dominance? Only time will tell, but there are dozens of athletes on the start list capable of winning the title in Bath (GBR).

Host nation Great Britain is sure to be in the mix, with world No.2 Kerenza Bryson leading a team of Olivia Green, Jessica Varley and Emma Whitaker all ranked in the top 25.

Paris 2024 hosts France will again be looking to top-10 athletes Marie Oteiza and Elodie Clouvel for inspiration, while Hungary has a great chance in the shape of Michelle Gulyas and Laser Run world record-holder Blanka Guzi, and Lithuania can never be written off with their incredible top-10 trio of Ieva Serapinaite, Gintare Venckauskaite and 39-year-old Olympic legend Laura Asadauskaite, London 2012 gold and Tokyo 2020 silver medallist.

Outside of Europe, many in Egypt will have high hopes for the consistently competitive Salma Abdelmaksoud, while Korea has an emerging contender in Seungmin Seong, who is ranked 18 – two places above Sehee Kim.

Pan American champion Mariana Arceo (16) leads the challenge for Mexico alongside her fellow Tokyo 2020 Olympian, 21-ranked Mayan Oliver.

But will a contender emerge from the next generation? It will be interesting to see how two-time junior world champion Rebecca Castaudi (FRA) and U19 world champion Malak Ismail (EGY) perform in such a high-calibre field.

Pentathlon focus: men

Given that the UIPM 2023 Pentathlon World Cup Final was decided by a slip in the last moments of a sprint finish, who is brave enough to call this one?

Both Mohanad Shaban (EGY) and Joseph Choong (GBR) have already earned Paris 2024 qualification for their countries, but that won’t stop them renewing their fierce rivalry and local hero Choong (GBR) is the man in possession of the world title as well as the sport’s most coveted prize, Olympic gold.

That might make Choong (GBR) appear to many as the title favourite, but when it all comes together for Olympic bronze medallist Woongtae Jun (KOR), he can be unbeatable – and the world No.6 has never won the individual world title claimed by his team-mate Jinhwa Jung in 2017. They will be in the mix alongside 5th-ranked Changwan Seo.

Looking back to Egypt, Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Ahmed Elgendy and his brother Mohamed Elgendy, 2022 world silver medallist, could have a say. But could a surprise come from the Americas, in the shape of 4th-ranked Emiliano Hernandez (MEX)?

Back in the European nucleus, Hungary will pose a threat with Csaba Bohm, Balazs Szep and Richard Bereczki, while France also have three contenders ranked in the top 15 – Valentin Prades, Pierre Dejardin and two-time world champion Valentin Belaud.

Otherwise, can the European Games champion, Giorgio Malan (ITA), continue his incredible summer, will Marvin Dogue of Germany return to his best, and can the Czech Republic convert their potential, led by 8th-ranked Martin Vlach? 

Laser Run focus

Three days of Laser Run action will bring athletes of all generations together as they compete for world titles in age grades from Under 9 to Masters 70+. 

With more than 560 athletes representing 33 countries, there will be a global showcase of UIPM’s most popular development sport in the eighth instalment of this World Championships.

Egypt, Great Britain, Portugal and South Africa are traditional strongholds when it comes to the medal table, but countries from right across the world have sent athletes to Bath (GBR) in the hope of achieving global recognition.

Australia has an impressive contingent of 19 athletes, while the South Asian challenge is emerging with numerous athletes coming from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

Sometimes the senior Laser Run category features some of the world’s leading pentathletes, and 2023 is no different with Paris 2024 Olympic qualifier Alexandre Dallenbach of Switzerland and Asian Modern Pentathlon champion Shuai Luo (CHN) among the star names on the list.

Para Laser Run focus

As last year in Lisbon (POR), the UIPM Para Laser Run World Championships are incorporated into the able-bodied Laser Run competition, making Monday August 21 another landmark day for the UIPM Para Sports movement. Racing will be broadcast live for the first time.

Classified athletes from Egypt, France, Great Britain and Ireland will participate, most of them registered in the LR4 wheelchair category and including 2022 winner Omar Bouyoucef (FRA).

Organisers have also arranged an open and fully inclusive Discover Para Festival to take place on the opening weekend (August 19-20), inviting para athletes to combine cardio challenges of running, rowing and cycling with laser shooting.

 

President’s welcome

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “UIPM’s flagship annual competition is a wonderful opportunity for our current elite generations of Modern Pentathlon and Laser Run athletes to showcase their incredible athleticism, courage and versatility.

“First we have the Laser Run World Championships, a highlight of the season for so many hundreds who participate in our most popular development sport; this includes our incredible Para athletes. And then we have the Pentathlon World Championships, offering not only the kudos of world titles but also up to six qualification places in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

“The UIPM 2023 competition season has already been a magnificent showcase for our sport, with thrilling competitions in Alexandria, Ankara (x2), Budapest, Cairo, Istanbul and Sofia enabling athletes of all age groups to compete across the five disciplines of Modern Pentathlon.

“Great Britain has been a pillar of our global sports movement for many years, creating a steady stream of champion athletes who are great ambassadors for Modern Pentathlon and high-performance sport, and I have no doubt that our hosts here at the University of Bath will stage a wonderful and unforgettable World Championships. We are delighted to share in the celebrations of Pentathlon GB’s centenary and 25 years since the establishment of their excellent training centre here in Bath.

“In a time of transition and transformation for our sport, one constant remains and that is the importance of teamwork. I thank all volunteers, sponsors, supporters and media representatives who will play a vital role in the success of this World Championships.

“As always, I ask athletes to remember their responsibility to compete in a spirit of fair play, as Coubertin envisaged, and respect the Olympic values as we together enjoy the glory of our wonderful sport. Faster, Stronger, Higher … Together.”

Click here [add link] to read the UIPM President’s welcome in full.

 

LOC welcome

Rebecca Leach, Championship Event Director, said: “We want to show the exciting evolution of Modern Pentathlon by delivering an innovative, inclusive and athlete-focused World Championships that helps widen the global and national appeal of pentathlon and the other UIPM Sports. 

“The whole event will be really interactive for spectators and their families, both in the stadium and away from the field of play where we will have activities for everyone of all ages.”

 

Watch and follow

The UIPM 2023 Pentathlon and Laser Run World Championships can be watched live on UIPM TV, where annual subscriptions cost €14.99. All results are available on the UIPM website and via the UIPM Central app.

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

The UIPM 2023 Laser Run World Championships runs from August 19-21, based on the following schedule (UIPM TV live coverage times in Central European Summer Time).

• Saturday, August 19 | Women’s Individual (9.55am)
• Sunday, August 20 | Men’s Individual (9.55am)
• Monday, August 21 | Para Laser Run and Mixed Relays (9.55am)

The UIPM 2023 Pentathlon World Championships runs from August 22-28, based on the following schedule (UIPM TV live coverage times in Central European Summer Time).

• Tuesday, August 22 | Women’s Relay | Men’s Relay
• Wednesday, August 23 | Women’s Qualification
• Thursday, August 24 | Men’s Qualification | Women’s Fencing Ranking Round
• Friday, August 25 | Women’s Semi-final A (11.30am); Semi-final B (4pm) | Men’s Fencing Ranking Round
• Saturday, August 26 | Men’s Semi-final A (11.30am); Semi-final B (4pm)
• Sunday, August 27 | Women’s Final (11.15am) | Men’s Final (4.15pm)
• Monday, August 28 | Mixed Relay (2.15pm)