Huge gathering in Hurghada (EGY) for festival of Biathle-Triathle and Laser Run

The UIPM Sports movement in Egypt built on the success of the UIPM 2018 Biathle-Triathle World Championships with another mass gathering in the autumn of 2019.

Hurghada (EGY) proved yet again to be a magnetic host as 338 athletes took part in the first day of the Biathle-Triathle National Tour and 145 on the second day in the last week of September.

Participants came from 23 Pentathlon clubs across five cities as the 2019 BTNT circuit created another thrilling instalment.

A Global Laser Run City Tour was run in parallel to the BTNT, with 414 athletes from Under 9 to Masters 60+ enjoying another experience of UIPM’s fastest-growing development sport.

A spokesperson for the local organising committee said: “It was a big celebration, drawing a large number of athletes and family members plus coaches and team leaders from all the clubs in Egypt. There were also about 35 technical officials and administrators and 25 volunteers.

“The competition ran smoothly and according to the new Biathle-Triathle test event rules, and at the end of the competition I believe everybody was really happy, because the Egyptian Federation gave medals and diplomas to the top eight athletes in each age group.

“All coaches were really thankful for this opportunity because it helps them to include more new athletes in the future and encourage them to develop Pentathlon skills.”

Viacheslav Malishev, UIPM Executive Board Member for Development, said: “Biathle and Triathle are two of the pillars of UIPM’s global development programme, enabling athletes to transition between running, swimming and, in the case of Triathle, laser shooting and enhance their chance of becoming pentathletes.

“I am delighted that the UIPM Biathle-Triathle National Tour is up and running again and I congratulate everybody involved in this year’s event in Egypt on an excellent competition that was clearly enjoyed by many people.

“It was also impressive to see the organisers in Hurghada arranging a Global Laser Run City Tour in parallel.

“Egypt is a true pillar of our Union with excellent development programmes in place, and Hurghada will once again be a focal point in 2020 when it hosts the UIPM Youth World Championships (U19/U17).”

About 100 cities have been selected in 2019 as hosts of the BTNT or GLRCT, with the BTNT venues including Sevan (ARM), Abidjan (CIV), Bamako (MAL) and Piliyandala (SRI).

The full calendar can be viewed at the UIPM website, where you can also find more information on UIPM’s various multi-discipline sports.

In September, the UIPM Laser Run World Championships was incorporated into the Pentathlon World Championships for the first time in Budapest (HUN), where Laser Run also featured as a showcase sport at the 1st World Urban Games.

The UIPM 2019 Biathle-Triathle World Championships will be held in Saint Petersburg, Florida (USA) from October 23-27.

In December, Laser Run and Triathle will both feature for the first time in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines.

Have you liked the UIPM Laser Run page on Facebook yet?