Going into the Laser Run in the men’s World Cup Final in Tokyo (JPN), 2016 Olympic champ Alexander Lesun (RUS) was in the lead and looked like a winner in the UIPM World Cup Final.
London 2012 champion Laura Asadauskaite (LTU) was third headed into the women’s Laser Run, but given her prowess in the final event, was almost a sure winner.
And Asadauskaite did win, winning her place at the Tokyo Games and confirming her as a serious contender once again for Olympic gold.
She entered the final event in third place, nine seconds behind leader Elodie Clouvel (FRA), but there was little doubt that she was the favorite. Asadauskaite caught Clouvel by the first shooting phase and cruised to a 12-second victory, and was 28 seconds up on third-placer Annika Schleu.
“Today is a very happy day,” said the winner. “I had a very good fence, a good ride and swim and also a good Laser Run. I’m very happy because I have the qualification for the Olympic Games. See you next year when I will come back here – l like this city very much. I think I am ready for the Olympic Games.”
Only the winners of the World Cup Final qualified for 2020, and the event was the first test program to be completed in the Olympic city. Lesun started the men’s Laser Run with a 15-second lead over Britain’s Joseph Choong.
Lesun maintained his lead through the first half of the Laser Run, but had trouble in his third (of four) shooting stops, losing valuable time while Britain’s Joseph Choong finished his five hits in eight seconds!
Choong assumed the lead, but Germany’s Marvin Dogue exited the final shooting section with a slight edge, and was then passed bu Choong, who sprinted to the finish to win by a single point, 1,457-1,456. After two World Cup silvers during the season, he is now qualified for the Tokyo Games.
Clouvel and teammate Valentin Prades – fourth in the men’s division – won the Mixed Relay and edged Ireland’s Natalya Coyle and Arthur Lanigan O’Keefe by 1,479-1,477. Summaries:
UIPM World Cup Final
Tokyo (JPN) ~ 27-30 June 2019
(Full results here)
Men: 1. Joseph Choong (GBR), 1,457; 2. Marvin Dogue (GER), 1,456; 3. Shuhuan Li (CHN), 1,446; 4. Valentin Prades (FRA), 1,443; 5. Pavlo Tymoshchenko (UKR), 1,441.
Women: 1. Laura Asadauskaite (LTU), 1,394; 2. Elodie Clouvel (FRA), 1,383; 3. Annika Schleu (GER), 1,366; 4. Gintare Venckauskaite (LTU), 1,365; 5. Gulnaz Gubaydullina (RUS), 1,362. Also: 22. Sam Achterberg (USA), 1,285.
Mixed Relay: 1. Elodie Clouvel/Valentin Prades (FRA), 1,479; 2. Natalya Coyle/Arthur Lanigan-O’Keefe (IRL), 1,477; 3. Gintare Venckauskaite/Justinas Kinderis (LTU), 1,476; 4. Oktawia Nowacka/Daniel Lawrynowicz (POL), 1,475; 5. Annika Schleu/Marvin Dogue (GER), 1,447. Also: 10. Sam Achterberg/Amro El Geziry (USA), 1,399.
