UIPM 2024 Pentathlon World Cup Sofia: Shaban (EGY) and Dejardin (FRA) carry lead into Men’s Final

• Tight Fencing Ranking Round sets up classic Super Sunday
• Szep (HUN) and Dallenbach (SUI) win Semi-finals
• Egypt, France and Germany celebrate triple qualification

Mohanad Shaban of Egypt and Pierre Dejardin of France carried a slender lead into the Men’s Final at UIPM 2024 Pentathlon World Cup Sofia after safely qualifying from the Semi-finals.

World No.3 Shaban (EGY) and Paris 2024 Olympic hopeful Dejardin (FRA) each won 23 bouts in a tight Fencing Ranking Round and continued to progress serenely through the disciplines, both finishing within 2sec of the top performer in Semi-final A, Balazs Szep of Hungary.

Semi-final B was won by Alexandre Dallenbach of Switzerland, who led all day after a competitive Fencing score of 22V/13D – a mark that was matched by Germany duo Christian Zillekens and Patrick Dogue.

Pentathlon World Cup Budapest champion Mohamed Elgendy (EGY) was never far behind and takes a Fencing score of 21V/14D into the Final on Super Sunday, while Pentathlon World Cup Ankara gold medallist Changwan Seo of Korea will have a lot of work to do after a modest 15V/20D in Fencing.

Germany will have three athletes in the Final – all competing for one remaining male spot in their Olympic team – after a dramatic Laser Run comeback in Semi-final B by Fabian Liebig (GER).

Moutaz Mohamed (EGY) will also form part of a national team of three on Super Sunday, while Dejardin (FRA) is joined by team-mates Valentin Prades (FRA) and Jean-Baptiste Mourcia (FRA).

Pentathlon World Cup Sofia reaches a climax tomorrow (May 12) with the Women’s and Men’s Finals, followed by the Mixed Relay on Monday May 13.

Live stream of the Semi-finals and Finals is available on UIPM TV and all competition results are available at the UIPM website.

The 18 athletes who qualified for the Men's Final are: