Modern Pentathlon at Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Women’s Semi-final B reaction

With the Modern Pentathlon competition at the 2024 Olympic Games enjoying a sun-kissed Saturday afternoon in the stunning surrounds of the Palace of Versailles the second of the Women’s Semi-finals took place. Here is a rapid round-up of athlete reaction from the Mixed Zone after Semi-final B:

Elodie Clouvel (FRA): “The first shoot I was scared, I was shaking. But then I was freed, I got into the the mindset and it was ok. The running I did was my actual rhythm, I was fine. I did a training camp in altitude and worked a lot on running rhythm. So I had to put myself on this rhythm, to not be tired and my legs would turn fast. I didn't want to stay behind the Korean girl because she was on a different rhythm and it was tiring me. So I thought give everything, get your rhythm, and then let go of the steam in the last 600 meters if all goes well. And it did. It was really beautiful with Michelle. It's a great spirit of mutual support, and it shows we are together, we cheer for each other too. When we compete we compete to win, but this is Pentathlon too. In Semi-finals it's the opportunity to do it there, to enjoy together.

“Teddy [Riner] was there too, we belong to the same team, we have the same people that accompany us, and it's great, he came to cheer for me. It's so nice. I'm so happy. I see you tomorrow. Let's do the same as Teddy!”

Michelle Gulyas (HUN), 2nd in Semi-final B: “It's really, really nice. I was really looking forward to this day. My aim was to reserve for the finals, and because I had a good Riding, this is why I could reserve. So, I'm happy overall, and I hope I can put my all in tomorrow.

“This is my aim to help focus on my task. During running, I was trying to enjoy it because 15,000 people in a Modern Pentathlon competition, I would have never dreamed about it. So, I was trying to enjoy it. During shooting I was just doing my thing.

“It's in Paris, so many French people are here today, so I wanted to share this moment with Elodie. It's her crowd. So, I really wanted her to enjoy it. Who knows what happens tomorrow? And so many people came to cheer for her, so I was like, ‘you should really enjoy this moment’ and this is why it was my decision.”

Laura Heredia (ESP), 3rd in Semi-final B: “I feel like very happy and very well. The crowd and everything was amazing. I really enjoyed it. I felt really good. In the riding, I won the event, then in the swimming, I did a good a good job, then in the laser run, I felt very good, and then in the shooting, I was like, just flowing.

“For tomorrow I will talk to a psychologist, which is the first step. I feel calm. We will see. I have nothing to lose, and I will give my 100%.

“I feel very, very, very grateful for this event, and just being here is like a gift for me. So, I'm just trying to enjoy it, and we will see what happens tomorrow. A lot of family, a lot of friends are here. So, it's very different but I’m very focused on my task.”

Blanka Guzi (HUN), 4th in Semi-final B: “I don’t say I am disappointed because I qualified for the Final. I am really happy. but I have also left many points behind me today. So I will try to improve myself for tomorrow because my Riding I think was excellent but the other disciplines could be improved for tomorrow.

“I feel the crowd helped me. I didn’t want to forget them but I tried to focus on my task. I think they helped. It’s a lifelong experience. I heard my family and my friends and relatives. It was unbelievable, not just the French crowd but the Hungarian crowd too!”

Sunwoo Kim (KOR), 5th in Semi-final B: “ For these Games the venue is so nice, so well done so I experienced a nice feeling going into this race. There’s no break, you have to keep going through the five sports so it was difficult in the Laser Run for those last spots. You have to keep going.

“The whole Korea team is doing really, really great. So we all get positive feedback and energy from that. You have different disciplines, you have the ones you are doing great in and the ones you are not doing so great. For now I am closing this chapter on today and starting a new one tomorrow.”

Gintare Venckauskaite (LTU), 6th in Semi-final B: “I'm feeling good. My running was not very good. In shooting I was struggling a little bit but I did my best today and it was very good. I'm happy today that I qualified for tomorrow and I hope that I will be better conditioned tomorrow than today.

“It's very interesting because it's different competition for Tokyo Olympic Games without noise. Now we have, I don't know, 17,000 people and I'm enjoying this moment. The sun was very hot today.”

Ilke Ozyuksel (TUR), 7th in Semi-final B: “I’m so tired and so happy. The Semi-finals is too hard, even more than the final. The final will be easy for me because all of the time it was like that for me — Semi-finals are so hard for me. Now I will relax. We have worked so hard on this, for two years we worked every day. To have changed the type of Pentathlon, you know, now it’s 90 minutes. They changed four times by 800m to five times by 600m and it was so hard to focus for me. But now we did it. Everything was god today for me.”

Mingyu Zhang (CHN), 8th in Semi-final B: “I feel pretty good. I think performing here is very good for my ambitions. It gets me passionate. Now I want to be very steady for the final and go in with a calm mind.

“Knowing that so many people are watching back in China adds a lot of fighting spirit for me. Especially with my family here watching me in person it fills me with a lot more competitive spirit.”

Anna Jurt (SUI), 9th in Semi-final B: “Everyone was here, my coach, and all of a sudden there was a man who was saying ‘Anna is in ninth’ and I was like ‘Oh my god! Oh my god!’ and that gave me the extra push to really fight. It was amazing. I have no words. I had an absolutely amazing horse.

“It was not the horse’s fault, it was me, I was so nervous. He was making really big jumps and I wasn’t ready for that because in the warm-ups he hadn’t done that and then all of a sudden he was doing really huge jumps. And so with my riding hat [slipping] I was not seeing the next jump. I was always adjusting my hat so it was not perfect at all. I am also not happy with my swimming, I missed my turns, I can do more tomorrow. I have nothing to lose. I will give it my all. The Laser Run, I have no words. It was the crowd, also my family, all of that. It was amazing, really.

“The spirit is unbelievable. Pentathlon is a big family. The people are amazing. I love them. They love me. It’s a family. I really appreciate that, it means the world to me, more than the whole competition, to have that community.

“We had a training camp in Bath together with Alexandre [Dallenbach] so for two weeks we were in England training together, doing everything together. It was amazing learning from him, he was learning from me. We have opposite strengths so it was quite amazing. He is a string swimmer and a good shooter so we can really learn from each other. He’s a little bit more funny. I’m probably a little bit too serious sometimes so it was a wonderful balance. It really motivated to give my best today. I am so happy that he has made the final too and I wish him the best today.

“Someone just told me I broke the Olympic Laser Run record. It’s unbelievable. I have to just realise it. It’s…wow!”

Sophia Hernandez (GUA), 16th in Semi-final B: “Of course I am a little bit disappointed. When it doesn’t go your way it is always disappointing but I think as an athlete you need to know how to deal with disappointment and failure. We learn it a lot. It is always of course frustrating and hard but I think at the end of the day I did as well as I could on the day. It’s not what I expected. It’s not what I wanted. But it is what it is and I can’t really change it. I like to learn from what I did wrong, to recover and reset.

“Aside from the result which obviously is disappointing for me, the experience was great. The atmosphere was fantastic. I love competing with such a good crowd, it was amazing. And also having my parents and my family here it was really good. I never let them come to my competitions but this of course was really special to have them here. It is my first Olympics. I had a nice try and like I said I will learn from my mistakes.

“I’m hoping I can continue with the Athletes Committee and help who I can help and just keep on going.”

Naranjo Sol (ECU), 17th in Semi-final B: "I felt so nervous, now I'm just a little tired. Now I'm so tired, but it was a beautiful experience. It was amazing. I hope that the next Olympic Games I qualify again, do my best and do a better presentation.

“Yes, Obstacle looks amazing, and I think that is the only at present in the Youth, not in the Seniors but now I want to try it as soon as possible.”

Mariana Arceo (MEX), 18th in Semi-final B: “I am happy because I finished successfully in the Olympic Games. The stadium is really crazy. I am sad for my Riding. I don’t understand what happened with my elimination. I think it’s not just but it’s okay but I am human. I will go to the next Olympic Games. I am happy for my body now for 2028 and 2032 too! My body is strong and this experience has been very different compared to the last Olympic Games at Tokyo. It’s very different because the people and the fans are crazy. I want a competition like this in Mexico please because it was really nice. My family is here. I will go to them now and will get a very big hug.”