UIPM 2025 Pentathlon World Cup Cairo: Arol (AIN) and Koleszar (HUN) lead the way after Men’s Semi-finals

• Top seeds in Fencing will start Final with slight advantage
• France quartet Fleurot, Belaud, Bories and Mourcia will be in hot pursuit
• Egypt chances rest on Shaban brothers and Mohamed

The world’s leading male pentathletes got their first taste of direct elimination Fencing as they battled for Men’s Final places at UIPM 2025 Pentathlon World Cup Cairo.

Mohanad Shaban of Egypt was the last man standing on the piste in Semi-final A, having defeated Richard Bereczki of Hungary at the final stage. Uladzislau Melkaziorau (AIN) stood tall in Semi-final B, fending off a spirited challenge from Kaoru Shinoki of Japan in the final bout.

Based on results in the Fencing Seeding Round held on February 27, the No.1 seed in the Final will be Yauheni Arol (AIN), followed by Mihaly Koleszar (HUN).

Obstacle again proved highly challenging for the 36 male semi-finalists, with only two eliminations leaving the competition wide open. Paulius Vagnorius of Lithuania set the fastest time in the morning, followed by Mohamed Hassan (EGY) going slightly quicker in 26.32sec later in the day.

As the outstanding swimmer at any level of Modern Pentathlon, Matteo Bovenzi (ITA) predictably set the fastest time in the pool (1min 55.44sec), while team-mates Moutaz Mohamed (EGY) and Mohamed El Ashqar (EGY) and Kazuaki Sekigawa (JPN) boosted their chances by going under 2:06.

Many eyes in the Final will be on Moutaz Mohamed (EGY), one of last year’s breakthrough athletes, though the host nation will also look to Shaban (EGY) and younger brother Mazen Shaban (EGY) for podium success.

The day’s best Laser Run performance came from Ugo Fleurot (FRA), a 10:17.20 enabling him to qualify in a good position alongside two-time world champion Valentin Belaud (FRA), Paris 2024 Olympic finalist Jean-Baptiste Mourcia (FRA) and Leo Bories (FRA).

There was another fine Laser Run from Giorgi Tskhadadze of Georgia, whose 10:21.60 took him through the field from 14th in Semi-final B. There was a photo finish in a sprint for 9th after Maksym Aharushev of Ukraine was caught on the line by Lev Chuvashov of Kazakhstan.

• UIPM 2025 Pentathlon World Cup Cairo: All you need to know

UIPM 2025 Pentathlon World Cup Cairo reaches a climax tomorrow (March 1) with the Women’s Final and Men's Final. Live stream is available on UIPM TV free from 09:00 CET (Women’s Final) and 13:00 CET (Men’s Final).

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The following 18 athletes qualified for the Men's Final: