Brits all through to final as competition for Olympic places intensifies
All four British women competing at the Modern Pentathlon World Championships in Hungary kept their Olympic hopes alive by producing some impressive performances to secure places in Saturday’s (31st May) final.
Heather Fell and Mhairi Spence finished first and second respectively in their semi-final in Budapest today (Thursday), while team-mates Georgina Harland and Katy Livingston came fourth and 13th in the other semi.
As well as World Championship medals being at stake, the championships are the final opportunity for athletes to achieve the qualifying standard for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Jan Bartu, Pentathlon GB performance director, said: “All four competed well today. They looked on the ball and focussed and they demonstrated the quality they possess.
“We hope they will keep the momentum going,” he added. “They should all feel confident going into Saturday’s final.”
Harland, the Athens 2004 Olympic bronze medallist, produced a strong all-round performance to put her in second place in semi-final A going into the third of four semi-final disciplines, the 3km run. She controlled the race to finish fourth overall in the semi.
Livingston also comfortably made it through to Saturday’s final, coming 13th in the same semi.
Fell and Spence impressed in semi-final B. Fell, winner of the Millfield World Cup in March, went into the run in eighth place, but controlled the race to come first overall, with Spence finishing second, 14 seconds behind her team-mate.
Heather Fell and Katy Livingston have already achieved the Olympic qualifying standard by virtue of top-eight finishes at last year’s European Championships. A top-three finish at the World Championships or a top seven position in the Olympic ranking list after the Worlds also achieve the qualifying standard.
A total of 36 women will compete in the modern pentathlon at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Up to two athletes of each gender from each country can compete, subject to qualification through performances at a series of pre-determined events.
The Pentathlon GB team for the Budapest World Championships is:
Women: Heather Fell (gold 2003 World Junior Championships, silver medallist at 2007 European Championships, gold medallist at 2008 Millfield World Cup, bronze 2008 Kladno World Cup) Georgina Harland (2004 Olympic bronze medallist, individual bronze medallist at 2001 and 2002 World Championships, gold 2003 World Cup Final) Katy Livingston (gold at 2008 Cairo World Cup, sixth at 2007 European Championships) Mhairi Spence (bronze medallist at 2006 European Championships, 4th 2008 Kladno World Cup) Reserve – Lindsey Weedon (bronze 2003 World Junior Championships, 7th 2004 European Championships)
