UIPM Judges Certification Programme: Kuwait City (KUW) continues to prepare for historic 2024

A year of significant growth for the UIPM movement in the Middle East continued with further investment in the immediate and longer-term future of the region as Kuwait hosted its first UIPM Judges Certification Programme. 

Kuwait City will mark a piece of history in early 2024 when the capital hosts the inaugural UIPM Middle East Asia Championships, which continues the process of the Asian Modern Pentathlon Confederation (AMPC) offering opportunities to Asian athletes to compete internationally within their own geographical area. 

Middle East Asia is one of UIPM’s fastest-growing regions, with member federations in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and United Arab Emirates. Earlier this year, Kuwait City held its first ever Global Laser Run City Tour event. 

In a landmark move last month, UIPM also announced that its Executive Board had unanimously agreed to award the 73rd UIPM Congress to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, bringing its global decision-making summit to the region for the first time. 

With one eye on the historic Middle East Asia Championships, which begin on March 4 with a Laser Run format, 24 judges were put through their paces on an intensive UIPM JCP course in late October, organised by UIPM and the Kuwait Modern Pentathlon Committee. 

The two-day course was run by UIPM JCP educator and Executive Director of the Portuguese Modern Pentathlon Federation Rui Lucena (POR) and offered participants the chance to earn certification in Levels 1, 2 and 3 of the JCP. 

The course on October 25-26 had a truly international feel with six nations from across three continents represented by the eager students. There were 13 participants from the host nation with seven from Egypt, and one each from Bulgaria, Kenya, India and Sri Lanka. The group comprised 13 women and 11 men. 

Rui Lucena said: “After a really productive year for our Judges Certification Programme worldwide, it felt fitting that we brought together an international group in Kuwait City. 

“With so many developments in the country and the region, and particularly the upcoming championships, it was a pleasure to help this engaged group deepen their Laser Run knowledge and improve their judging skills. My thanks to the national federation for their help in hosting this course.”

Fawaz Al Jassar, President of the Kuwaiti Committee for Modern Pentathlon, said: “We are now just a few months away from our first UIPM Middle East Asia Championships and everyone is working extra hard to ensure a successful competition. But this recent course will benefit not just the upcoming events but the continued growth of UIPM Sports in Kuwait too. 

“I wish to express my warm gratitude to Rui Lucena who was a diligent instructor for the group and also to UIPM for their continued support as we look forward to 2024 with great excitement.”