World Obstacle UIPM 2024 OCR World Championships: Cabuya (PHI) and Sokolowski (POL) set 100m alight
- Integration of Pentathlon and Obstacle communities continues in San Jose (CRC)
- Obstacle sprint stars dazzle as Cabuya (PHI) sets new 100m world record
- Men’s 100m champion Sokolowski (POL): “For me this is just the beginning”
More than 600 athletes from 39 nations gathered in Central America for a highly successful four-day World Obstacle UIPM 2024 OCR World Championships.
This competition marked UIPM’s third time sanctioning an event with World Obstacle, after Ninja World Cup USA 2023 and the World Obstacle UIPM 2023 OCR World Championships in Genk (BEL).
- Click here to watch YouTube videos from the World Obstacle UIPM 2024 OCR World Championships
Thanks to the integration of Obstacle as a discipline in the Modern Pentathlon format, sprint specialists such as those competing in the 100m in Obstacle Course Racing (OCR), as well as Ninja speed competitions, now have a potential pathway to the Olympic Games – starting in Los Angeles in 2028.
OCR - like Ninja - is one of numerous disciplines in the Obstacle Sports ecosystem, providing a range of competitive options for sprint and endurance racers. Four days of thrilling action began at Costa Rica’s National Stadium, which hosted the 100m, 3k and team events, while the 15k took place within the Hacienda Doka coffee plantation.
The 100m featured a new world record for women’s gold medallist, Precious Cabuya of Philippines, who beat off competition from silver medallist Katarzyna Jonaczyk of Poland and Tiana Webberley of United States, who claimed bronze.
The Polish team came out on top in the men’s 100m as Wladyslaw Sokolowski (POL) managed to upstage a strong Filipino challenge, with Jaymark Rodelas (PHI) and Ahgie Radan (PHI) winning silver and bronze respectively. Isaiah Thomas (USA) set a new world record of 24.353sec in the qualification round.
Champions’ reaction
Women’s elite 100m champion Cabuya (PHI) said: “I’m super happy about this competition, really happy with the weather and so proud to have broken the world record again.”
Men’s elite 100m champion Sokolowski (POL) said: “It took a lot of effort to come here, a lot of training and preparation. But now I feel great. It’s an achievement which I dreamed about for a long time.
“For me this is just the beginning. I am only 23 years old and there are a lot of moves I want to try and master, so it’s only the beginning. I hope that the discipline is going to become more famous. It’s for sure really cool to watch, so I really hope people can hear more about it.
“Let’s bring this discipline to the next level, maybe to the Olympics one day.”
Officials’ reaction
UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “For the second year, UIPM has co-hosted the OCR World Championships with World Obstacle and we are all very excited about the ongoing integration of the two athlete communities.
“Modern Pentathlon enjoyed a spectacular Olympic Games Paris 2024, and now we move into the new era with Obstacle replacing Riding at all levels. This transition makes our Olympic multisport much more accessible to athletes from all countries worldwide who strive to win the ultimate prize in sport.
“In San Jose, we saw athletes from 39 countries taking part and it was exciting to see athletes from Asia, Europe and North America on the podium for 100m. My message to all Obstacle Sport racers around the world is simple: we know how much you love your sport and now we have an integration programme designed to enable you to make your Olympic multisports dreams come true.”
World Obstacle President Ian Adamson said: “This event has been a significant improvement over 2024. The beauty of the venues and laid-back Latin vibe created a wonderful atmosphere which enhanced enjoyment of the competitions.
“We expect to see records in the 100m continue to fall and the future looks incredibly bright. The 100m format is quite close to the UIPM Obstacle discipline, and many athletes have started, or are interested in doing all the sports. There are many opportunities with our collective sports, moving forward in the Olympic movement.”
Watch and follow
Visit World Obstacle online for more results and information, and check out UIPM’s social media channels for video highlights and exciting content year-round.
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