Modern Pentathlon World Cup Final 2023: Elena Micheli and Mohanad Shaban clinch Olympic berths
Egypt's Mohanad Shaban won the men's event in a dramatic finish with Italian world champion Elena Micheli bagging women's gold at the Modern Pentathlon World Cup Final in Ankara on Saturday (3 June).
Modern Pentathlon
Egypt’s Mohanad Shaban clinched an Olympic berth for Paris 2024 winning a dramatic sprint to the line to win the Modern Pentathlon World Cup Final in Ankara, Turkey on Saturday (3 June).
Staying on his feet as he crossed the line ultimately clinched the victory in a frantic foot race against Olympic champion Joe Choong of Great Britain, who slipped and went down in a splash at the line.
Shaban and women’s winner, Italy’s world champion Elena Micheli, earned the first quota places on offer for next year's Olympic Games in the process.
The men’s start was delayed by several hours due inclement weather, which ultimately resulted in wet and dimly lit conditions.
Shaban enjoyed a 10-second advantage on the wet and slippery laser-run following a dominant display during the fencing round. Choong eventually caught up and overtook the Egyptian thanks to superb shooting on the range.
The race came to a climactic end with Choong and Shaban sprinting shoulder to shoulder towards the line before the Briton slipped and fell across the line. Mexico’s Emiliano Hernandez followed behind them in third place.
Elena Micheli wins women's title
The 24-year-old Micheli earned top-three finishes in the swimming and the riding disciplines en route to clinching the title and in the process book her Olympic ticket.
In the final, Micheli finished ahead of local favourite and world bronze medallist İlke Özyüksel in second place, with France's Marie Oteiza bagging bronze.
Micheli came into the final with a target on her back with the top score across the two semi-finals finishing ahead of the Republic of Korea’s Seungmin Seong. She held her form in the final, finishing second in the swimming (281 points) and third in the riding (300 points).
The modern pentathlon in Paris 2024 will see the introduction of a new format where the five disciplines – fencing, swimming, horse riding, laser-run – are contested over 90 minutes.
Modern Pentathlon World Cup Final results:
Men’s top 10:
- Mohanad Shaban (EGY) – 1496
- Joseph Choong (GBR) – 1494
- Emiliano Hernandez (MEX) – 1476
- Csaba Bohm (HUN) – 1475
- Seo Changwan (KOR) – 1469
- Marek Grycz (CZE) – 1466
- Balazs Szep(HUN) – 1465
- Matteo Cicinelli (ITA) – 1462
- Luo Shuai (CHN) – 1456
- Valentin Belaud (FRA) – 1452
Complete results of the 2023 Modern Pentathlon World Cup Final – Men
Women’s top 10:
- Elena Micheli (ITA) – 1377 points
- İlke Özyüksel (TUR) – 1374 points
- Marie Oteiza (FRA) – 1373 points
- Alice Sotero (ITA) – 1356 points
- Gintarė Venčkauskaitė (LTU) – 1353 points
- Kerenza Bryson (GBR) – 1349 points
- Rebecca Langrehr (GER) – 1346 points
- Karolina Krenkova (CZE) – 1341 points
- Laura Asadauskaité (LTU) – 1334 points
- Olivia Green (GBR) – 1334 points
Complete results of the 2023 Modern Pentathlon World Cup Final – Women