Great Britain’s best modern pentathletes are set to do battle at this year’s British Open Modern Pentathlon Championships at Pentathlon GB’s National Training Centre, the University of Bath, on Sunday (June 4th). The Championships will see athletes aged 18+ competing, including Rio 2016 quartet Kate French, Samantha Murray, Joe Choong and Jamie Cooke.
The World class field will also see Joanna Muir and Myles Pillage who claimed Mixed Relay silver at the second World Cup of 2017 in March and 2015 Junior World Champion Francesca Summers competing.
A busy day of action sees athletes begin with the 200m swim in the Team Bath London 2012 Legacy pool. The fencing discipline will take place in Pentathlon GB’s National Training Centre fencing salle before the ride (show-jumping) is completed at Hill House Farm. Athletes will then return to the University of Bath for the final discipline of the day, the Laser Run before the medal ceremonies.
In addition to becoming British Champion, the men’s and women’s winners of the British Open Modern Pentathlon Championships will be selected for the 2017 Senior European Championships to be held in Minsk.
The Junior British Champion (Under 21) will be selected for the 2017 Junior European Championships which take place in Barcelona later in June, adding an extra significance to the event.
The Championships will be free for the public to watch providing a fantastic opportunity to watch GB’s ‘ultimate athletes’ in action on British soil.
The University of Bath has a rich history when it comes to modern pentathlon with Pentathlon GB’s National Training Centre being based at the university since 1998. In the following 18 years, 5 Olympic medals have returned to the university, starting with Dr Steph Cook’s gold and Kate Allenby’s bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Running alongside the British Pentathlon Championships will be the first of three Laser Run City Tours which are being held in Great Britain during 2017.
Laser Run is already known as the exhilarating finale to the Olympic sport of Modern Pentathlon with athletes required to alternate between shooting a laser pistol and running in a fast-paced and action-packed race to the finish line. The combined discipline has now become the latest addition to our portfolio of sports with anyone aged 9-90 encouraged to come and try a brand new sport.
In Bath, everyone trying the Laser Run will be able to use the same World Class facilities as the elite athletes with the British Open Modern Pentathlon Championships using the same track and range at the end of the day.
Report courtesy of Pentathlon GB
