UIPM 2024 Pentathlon U19 World Championships: All you need to know
- World U17 champions Khalil (EGY) and Issaka Idé-large (FRA) ready to step up
- Hungary invests hopes in European U19 champions Zeman and Marschall
- Second global U19 Pentathlon with Obstacle to be live-streamed on UIPM TV
The rare kudos of becoming a double age-group world champion may be within reach at this week’s live-streamed UIPM 2024 Pentathlon U19 World Championships.
Things move fast in the brave new world of youth-level Modern Pentathlon, where a five-discipline Pentathlon was introduced for the first time last year following the integration of Obstacle. And all the individual U19 medallists from Istanbul (TUR) in 2023 have already moved on to the Junior ranks.
That creates a mouth-watering opportunity for last year’s U17 heroes, with five of the six medallists now competing at U19 level this week in the beautiful spa town of Druskininkai (LTU). Will the youngsters graduate or will they have to wait a little to convert their potential at this higher level?
On the women’s side, nothing seems out of reach for Farida Khalil of Egypt, the 13-year-old starlet who has won two consecutive U17 world titles following a repeat success two weeks ago in Caldas da Rainha (POR).
Aiming to emulate last year’s U19 gold medallist Malak Ismail (EGY), who went on to become an Olympian at Paris 2024, the young teen’s European rivals for gold this week will include 2024 U17 bronze medallist Charlotte Keister of Germany, and the respective 2023 U17 silver and bronze medallists, Nadja Farmand (GER) and Annachiara Allara of Italy.
But will the age gap be decisive? European U19 champion Zora Zeman of Hungary, 18, might be the athlete most fancied to lift the global crown this week, having won the continental title by 20sec from team-mate Emma Meszaros (HUN).
Like Egypt, France has a good record of producing under-age champions in recent years, especially on the men’s side, and 2023 U17 world champion Mathis Issaka Idé-large will be among the ones to watch as UIPM TV’s live coverage resumes.
Similarly, based on the evidence of this year’s European U19 Championships in Barcelona (ESP), continental gold and silver medallists Attila Marschall (HUN) and Matej Kornel of Czechia might be a slightly more reliable bet this time round. But with competition likely to be fierce from all corners of the planet – especially Korea, Mexico and Egypt alongside the perennial European challenge – the competition is likely to be wide open.
With Obstacle making only its second appearance at global U19 level, spectators in the Baltic state might see numerous world records fall and many eyes will be on 15-year-old local speedster Lukas Lagunavicius of Lithuania, who set a blistering U17 world record of 21.13sec a fortnight ago in Portugal.
Six days of action begin tomorrow (September 24) with the Women’s Relay and Men’s Relay, culminating with the individual Finals on Saturday (September 28) and Mixed Relay on Sunday (September 29).
President’s welcome
UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “The UIPM 2024 Pentathlon U19 World Championships promises to be a thrilling and captivating week of competition.
“Only seven weeks ago at the Olympic Games in Paris, we said farewell to the traditional Modern Pentathlon format that will forever have a place in our heritage and our hearts. Times change, and we are embracing change as a movement, so it is tremendously exciting that we gather here in Druskininkai to see the future of our sport materialise.
“For the second year in succession, our U19 athletes will compete to become world champions in the new Modern Pentathlon format of Obstacle, Fencing, Swimming and Laser Run. They will be ready to convert their training into results as they start chasing dreams in a new Olympic cycle – it is possible that several of them could be the stars of Los Angeles 2028 in four years’ time.
“Here in Lithuania, we always have the sense that we are in the Modern Pentathlon heartland. Not only has this country produced numerous exceptional athletes, but the Lithuanian Modern Pentathlon Federation and partners have consistently provided high-level competitions with knowledgeable crowds, sponsors and media representatives – and first-class hospitality.”
Click here to read the President’s Welcome in full.
Watch and follow
The UIPM 2024 Pentathlon U19 World Championships runs from September 24-29, according to the following schedule (UIPM TV times in brackets):
- Tuesday September 24: Women’s Relay | Men’s Relay
- Wednesday September 25: Women’s Qualification
- Thursday September 26: Men’s Qualification
- Friday September 27: Fencing Ranking Round
- Saturday September 28: Women’s Final (09:00) | Men’s Final (13:45)
- Sunday September 29: Mixed Relay (13:45)
All times CEST
Visit the UIPM website or download UIPM Central from your app store to keep track of live results throughout the UIPM 2024 Pentathlon U19 World Championships.
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