MODERN PENTATHLON: Strong showing for Egypt in season opener in Cairo

Egypt's World Cup winner Ahmed Elgendy (Photo: UIPM)

Let’s face it, Egypt is not one of the first countries you think about in terms of the Modern Pentathlon, but Ahmed Elgendy scored two wins in the season opener of the UIPM World Cup in Cairo.

He celebrated his 19th birthday last Friday and gave himself a present of a World Cup victory on Saturday by finishing second in fencing, second in swimming and eighth in riding. He entered the Laser Run final with a huge lead of 22 seconds, and won by 17.
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“I am very happy to win my first senior World Cup in Egypt, especially in Egypt – my home country. The crowd and the audience was always cheering for me in the Laser Run and the Fencing, and I’m very happy to be competing in Egypt.

“It’s my first season really competing in the seniors. In 2018, I participated in three World Cups and the World Cup Final but it was only to get experience for the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. This year I am hoping to win more than one World Cup and qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – which is my dream.”

Jan Kuf (CZE) finished second, 17 seconds back, and Lithuania’s Justinas Kinderis was 30 seconds behind in third.

Elgendy then teamed with Haydy Morsy and ran away with the relay, entering the final event with a 47-second cushion. The fight for second was close until the final shooting stage, when Czech Ondrej Polivka was able to separate himself from challenger Illes Szabo (HUN).

In the women’s division, Russia’s Uliana Batashova started the laser-run in fourth place, but perfect shooting allowed her to move past early leader Sarolta Kovacs (HUN: third) and then Ireland’s Natalya Coyle (silver) for the victory. Summaries:

UIPM World Cup
Cairo (EGY) ~ 27 February-3 March 2019
(Full results here)

Men: 1. Ahmed Elgendy (EGY), 1,465; 2. Jan Kuf (CZE), 1,448; 3. Justinas Kinderis (LTU), 1,435; 4. Esteban Bustos (CZE), 1,434; 5. Marvin Faly Dogue (GER), 1,431.

Women: 1. Uliana Batashova (RUS), 1,358; 2. Natalya Coyle (IRL), 1,347; 3. Sarolta Kovacs (HUN), 1,341; 4. Elodie Clouvel (FRA), 1,339; 5. Anastasiya Prokopenko (BLR), 1,329. Also in the top 25: 24. Sam Achtenberg (USA), 1,267.

Relay: 1. Haydy Morsy/Ahmed Elgendy (EGY), 1,432; 2. Eliska Pribylova/Ondrej Polivka (CZE), 1,396; 3. Kamilla Reti/Illes Szabo (HUN), 1,383; 4. Valeriya Permykina/Pavlo Tymoshchenko (UKR), 1,361; 5. Marta Kobecka/Daniel Lawrynowicz (POL), 1,335. Also: 7. Avery Niemann/Alexander Guzman (USA), 1,260.