Modern pentathlon at European Games 2023: Preview, schedule and how to watch
The competition in Krakow will be a direct qualifier for Paris 2024 with the top eight finishers of each gender booking their tickets to the Olympic Games. Find out everything you need to know about the European Games modern pentathlon competition below.
Modern Pentathlon
From 25 June to 1 July the top modern pentathletes from Europe will duke it out for a spot at Paris 2024 at the 2023 European Games.
A total of 119 athletes from 26 nations will compete in modern pentathlon at the European Games 2023, with the event acting as a direct qualifier for Paris 2024 and also the sport's European Championship.
Five events will be competed: Men's and women's individual and team events and a mixed team relay.
Only the individual events will reward Olympic tickets for the next Games, however have no doubts - this competition is vital for Olympic qualification. The European Games offers the most quotas of any Olympic qualifying event, with eight quotas per gender available.
As such, the best European athletes will fight for their one-way tickets to the Games at what is the second qualifying event of the year.
Here is everything you need to know about modern pentathlon at European Games 2023.
When and where will the European Games 2023 modern pentathlon competition take place
The modern pentathlon competition begins on Sunday 25 June with women’s qualification and ends on Saturday 1 July with the women's and men’s finals.
All of the action will take place at the AWF Sports Center, a 1,000-capacity venue in Kraków, Poland.
How many modern pentathletes can qualify for the Olympic Games Paris 2024?
With eight quotas available in each gender for the individual event, pentathletes can book their ticket to the Games if they finish in the top eight in the men's and women’s events.
Quotas will be awarded to each athlete by name.
If two or more athletes from the same National Olympic Committee (NOC) finish in the top eight, the quota will be awarded to the next best-placed athlete and any additional quotas will be attributed to the next best-ranked athlete.
See below when Olympic spots will be awarded.
Olympic quotas
1 July
13:50-14:05: Women’s Run & Shooting (Laser&Run)
17:15-17:30: Men’s Run & Shooting (Laser&Run)
Modern pentathletes to watch at the European Games 2023
A world class field of athletes will compete in Krakow while Olympic spots and continental titles are at stake.
Elena Micheli from Italy won the UIPM 2023 Pentathlon World Cup Final on 3 June in Antalya, Türkiye, and the first Olympic spot for Paris 2024. She won’t be fighting for qualification but will certainly aim for another title, after having won the world title in 2022.
However, Alice Sotero, who was fourth at the Finals, will be keen to join her compatriot at Château de Versailles, where modern pentathlon events will take place, in a little over a year. Ilke Ozyuksel, from Türkiye, finished second on home soil and will be one of the favourites to earn quota, in addition to France's Marie Oteiza (3rd in Antalya) and Rio 2016 silver medallist Élodie Clouvel.
Olivia Green of Great Britain, a world champion in the team event, will aim to bring the quota home and follow her compatriot Kate French in trying to win Britain's second Olympic title in a row.
On the men’s side, Mohanad Shaban from Egypt won the world finals, so the European Games will see the first European male qualifiers. Reigning world and Olympic champion Joseph Choong from Great Britain, who finished second just two points behind the winner, will try to take his revenge in Krakow while Hungarians Csaba Bohm and Balazs Szep will also be hoping to earn a quota for their country.
Matteo Cicinelli from Italy, 8th in Antalya, will be a contender along with France's Valentin Belaud, the world champion in 2016 and 2019, and Valentin Prades, the winner of the first World Cup in 2023.
Łukasz Gutkowski from Poland, who participated in the Tokyo 2020 event, will also be one to watch in front of his home crowd.
European Games 2023 modern pentathlon schedule
All times CEST
Sunday 25 June
- 09:00 - 18:00 – Women's Qualification
Monday 26 June
- 09:00 - 18:00 – Men's Qualification
- 16:30 - 18:30 – Women's Fencing (Ranking Round)
Tuesday 27 June
- 10:00 - 10:20 – Women's Fencing (Bonus Round)
- 10:40 - 10:55 – Women's Swimming (Semi final)
- 11:15 - 11:30 – Women's Run & Shooting (Laser&Run) (Semi final)
- 13:00 - 13:20 – Women's Fencing (Bonus Round) (Semi final)
- 13:40 - 13:55 – Women's Swimming (Semi final)
- 14:15 - 14:30 – Women's Run & Shooting (Laser&Run) (Semi final)
- 16:30 - 18:30 – Men's Fencing (Ranking Round) (Semi final)
Wednesday 28 June
- 10:00 - 10:20 – Men's Fencing (Bonus Round)
- 10:40 - 10:55 – Men's Swimming (Semi final)
- 11:15 - 11:30 – Men's Run & Shooting (Laser&Run) (Semi final)
- 13:00 - 13:20 – Men's Fencing (Bonus Round) (Semi final)
- 13:40 - 13:55 – Men's Swimming (Semi final)
- 14:15 - 14:30 – Men's Run & Shooting (Laser&Run) (Semi final)
Thursday 29 June
- 09:30 - 11:30 – Mixed Relay Fencing (Ranking Round)
- 13:00 - 13:50 – Mixed Relay Horse Riding
- 14:15 - 15:00 – Mixed Relay Fencing (Bonus Round)
- 15:20 - 15:40 – Mixed Relay Swimming
- 16:00 - 16:20 – Mixed Relay Run & Shooting (Laser&Run)
- 16:40 - 17:00 – Medal Ceremony
Saturday 1 June
- 12:00 - 12:35 – Women's Horse Riding (Final)
- 12:45 - 13:05 – Women's Fencing (Bonus Round)
- 13:20 - 13:35 – Women's Swimming
- 13:50 - 14:05 – Women's Run & Shooting (Laser&Run) (Final)
- 15:25 - 16:00 – Men's Horse Riding
- 16:10 - 16:30 – Men's Fencing (Bonus Round)
- 16:45 - 17:00 – Men's Swimming (Final)
- 17:15 - 17:30 – Men's Run & Shooting (Laser&Run) (Final)
- 17:45 - 18:15 – Medal Ceremonies
How to watch modern pentathlon at the European Games 2023
The European Games will be available to watch across Europe and Latin America on the following broadcasters:
Albania: RTV
Austria: ORF
Azerbaijan: TV
Belgium: VRT & RTBF
Bulgaria: BNT
Croatia: HRT
Cyprus: CBC
Czechia: CT
Estonia: ERR
Finland: YLE
France: FTV & Chaîne L'Équipe
Germany: ARD & ZDF
Greece: ERT
Hungary: MTVA
Iceland: RYV
Ireland: RTE
Israel: TSC
Italy: RAI
Kosovo: RTK
Lithuania: LRT
Netherlands: NOS
Norway: NRK
Poland: TVP
Portugal: RTP
Romania: TVR
Slovakia: RTVS
Slovenia: RTV SLO
Spain: RTVE & ENJOY
Sweden: SVT
Switzerland: SSR
Turkey: TRT
Ukraine: PBC
United Kingdom: BBC
Pan-European: Eurosport
Latin America (select countries): CLARO