Mhairi Spence and Katy Livingston led eight Great British women into Sunday’s Modern Pentathlon World Cup final in Gillingham.
Freyja Prentice, Katy Livingston and Katy Burke on the shooting range in the second semi final
Spence was the first to qualify, along with Olympic silver medallist Heather Fell and youngster Kate French.
Britain then almost claimed a clean sweep of qualifiers from Semi Final A as Livingston, Freyja Prentice, Lydia Rosling, Katy Burke and Samantha Murray all eased into the top-18.
After the fencing and swimming Britain’s two more experienced competitors in Semi Final B were comfortably placed going into the combined run/shoot, Spence in second and Fell fourth.
From then on it was a formality for those two, Spence even admitting to counting the athletes in to check where her young team-mate had finished.
It was a dream debut senior international event for local girl French whose swim equalled her personal best and her shoot was almost perfect.
The delighted French said: “It is a dream to get into the final in my first World Cup, I am absolutely amazed.
“Everyone kept shouting which was really nerve-wracking but it helped because it kept me going,” she added.
Going into the final, the Meopham born competitor said: “I am just going to do my best and try to do better in the fencing and get a PB in the swimming.”
Having never competed internationally before, Sunday will be a complete unknown for French, who explained: “I have never done a senior [horse] ride before so that will be a new experience.”
Spence, who was comfortable throughout, said: “I didn’t feel like I had to work too hard today so hopefully when I put my mind to it on Sunday I will have a little bit extra.”
The Brits in the other semi final got the day off to a stormer as Prentice and Livingston both recorded personal best in the swimming pool by two seconds and one second respectively.
For Prentice it was the second PB in a row in the pool, the event which she admits is her weakest but injury earlier in the year helped her to focus on her swimming in training.
Prentice said: “It shows my training is paying off on my swimming and hopefully I can get another [PB] in the final.
“Because my foot was out I concentrated on my stroke and it has obviously paid off. Overall I am very happy and very pleased with how today has gone,” she added.
The quintet of qualifiers enjoyed battling it out with each other but Rosling admitted: “We don’t really like fencing each other because we know exactly what we do because we train together every day.”
It was a satisfying end to the day though, as Livingston said: “I was guessing seven [Brits would qualify] before the day started and one extra sneaked in so that is really good.”
The final will take place at Medway Park, Gillingham on Sunday between 0900 and 1800, with the medal presentation at 1815.
Report by David Brenchley. To contact the writer of this story write to: [email protected]
