Georgia Pipes produced a battling performance to finish 27th at the Junior European Championships in Drzonkow, Poland, today. It’s a position that is becoming familiar for the recently turned 20 year old as it equalled her finish at the 2015 Junior World Championships nine months ago.
The competition followed the 2016 Olympic Games format meaning the fencing ranking round took place yesterday, a day before the remainder of the competition. Easingwold born Pipes secured 12 victories, leaving her in 27th position overnight.
Day 2 of the Women’s Final started in the pool where Pipes’ time of 2:21.64 saw her climb into a tie for 25th. The Brit didn’t pick up any extra points in the fencing bonus round but just two poles down in the ride meant she collected 286 points in the discipline, the 12th best of the competition.
This meant Pipes, who trains at Pentathlon GB’s National Training Centre at the University of Bath, headed into the combined event in 20th position. Some excellent shooting from the second year junior athlete – just 22 shots to hit the 20 targets – meant she crossed the line in 27th, 3 places higher than at the 2015 Junior European Championships.
Meanwhile, the Men’s final got underway this morning with Adam Price producing a great fencing performance, securing 20 victories with just 15 defeats, to sit in 9th place after the opening discipline. The Men’s final is following the same format as the Women’s and will conclude tomorrow with the swimming, fencing bonus round, riding and combined run-shoot.
Price qualified for the final after finishing 3rd in Qualifying Group B. Despite finding himself in 24th after the opening swim, excellent performances in both the fencing and combined event meant he comfortably made it into the final 36. Jamie Harper unfortunately missed out on joining his GB teammate in the final after finishing 24th in Group B.
In Women’s qualifying on Wednesday, Pipes was the only Brit to qualify for the Women’s final after Holly Parker unfortunately had to withdraw during her combined event after becoming unwell in sweltering conditions in west Poland.
Report courtesy of Pentathlon GB
