Four Egyptian junior modern pentathletes -- Sherif Nazeir, Sondos Tarek, Haidi Adel and Youssef Hassan – have qualified for the Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Nanjing, China 2014. Tarek and Nazeir qualified in individual competitions while Adel and Hassan qualified in the team mix-relay. YOG Nanjing will be held from 16-28 August. It is only the second time that a competition of this stature is taking place away from Egypt in both senior and youth African qualifications due to the current political situation in the country. In the last youth African qualification, Egyptian pentatheletes Islam Hamed and Jihan Al-Midani represented Africa in the Youth Olympic Games in 2010 in Singapore. Hamed finished in 10th place with a total score of 4,344 points and Al-Midani in 12th place with 3,704 points. The African YOG qualification event was held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast from 8-10 November. It was the first opportunity for the modern pentathletes of the African continent to qualify for YOG Nanjing. Participating countries were Egypt, South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal. Egypt participated with four male and four females. The women's team was composed of Sondous Tarek, Nour Abbas, Haidi Adel and Nada Al-Hodhod. The men's team was Youssef Hassan, Ahmed Hossameddin, Sherif Nazeir, and Abdel-Rahman Korani. In youth male (individual event) Nazeir won first place with a total 4,328 points -- 1,168 in fencing, 1,240 in swimming and 1,920 in combined events (running and shooting). Hassan came second with a total 4,316 points: fencing 976, 1,292 in swimming and 2,048 in combined events. Korani took third place with a total 4,232 points – fencing 1,000 points, in swimming 1,228 points and in combined events 2,004 points. Hossameddin finished in fourth place with a total 4,212 points. Tarek snatched a gold medal with 3,804 points. Her scores were 980 points in fencing, swimming 964 points and combined events 1,860 points. “I didn't expect anything but I knew that I won't give up this chance,” Tarek said. Adel came in second place with 3,708 points, of which 1,020 was in fencing, 1,044 in swimming and 1,644 in combined events. Abbas came in the fourth place with total 3,224 points. Al-Hodhod finished in fifth place with 3,112 points. In the women's team Tarek, Al-Hodhod and Adel won first place with 10,624 points. In mixed team relay (two members) event, Adel and Hassan won first place with 4,310 points -- 1,022 in fencing 1,300 in swimming and 1,988 in combined events. “I am so proud of myself and I am really happy because this YOG will be my last because next time I will be 19,” Adel said. Tarek and Nazeir took second place with total 4,150 points. Abbas and Korani came in the third place with total 3,938 points. Al-Hodhod and Hossameddin finished in fourth place with 3,904 points. President of the Egyptian Modern Pentathlon Federation (EMPF) Sherif Al-Erian told Al-Ahram Weekly, “Egypt took the maximum quota with its replacements from the African YOG qualification event. It is only two quotas. The first placed male and female athletes in the individual competitions. The second placed male and female are replacements for the first placed athletes in case they didn't play. This means that Tarek and Nazeir qualified to YOG. Adel and Hassan are their replacement. In mix relay, Adel and Hassan won first place while Tarek and Nazeir came in second. “EMPF will discuss this issue with the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM): whether the same athletes in the individual competition must play mix relay competition or can other athletes can play in the mix relay.” “There is a second qualification opportunity for us, the Youth A World Championships in Budapest, Hungary from 14-18 May 2014. This championship will decide who is going to represent Egypt in YOG”, added Al-Erian. “The junior team overall are good athletes. They don't have problems in physical fitness so we are working more on psychological fitness, how to concentrate and perform well under pressure and stress. Some of the athletes have problems with shooting, equestrian and fencing. The lack of experience is due to having no rivals in the African continent. We are competing with ourselves. Our athletes need to participate more in international championships in European countries to gain more experience and improve their performances.” EMPF has aspiring preparations for YOG Nanjing, Al-Erian said. “If we complete the plan I guarantee that our athletes will compete strongly in YOG but we need the full support of the Ministry of Sports. “We have training camps inside and outside of Egypt. Also, a list of important championships will participate in until the Youth A World Championships in Hungary has been drawn up. After the World championships we will determine the athletes who are going to YOG. We will train athletes and replacements.” The team travels on 11 August and returns 30 August.
Sondos Tarek Personal life Sondos Tarek is 16. She joined the Egyptian junior modern pentathlon team in 2008. She was a swimmer in the beginning at Shams Sporting Club. She started practicing the modern pentathlon when she was 10. Tarek is in the 11th grade in Saint Fatima British School. She loves arts. Her young sister Hania, 10, has started playing the biathle. Tarek's favourite best athletes are Aya Medani, Amr Al-Geziri and Yasser Hefni. Career highlights In 2013, Tarek won a gold medal in the African YOG qualification in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. She came in the 7th place in individual and took silver medal in girls' team competition at Great Britain International Championship in Hartpury, Germany. She finished in 4th place in mix relay event at Trophee Ulyssee in Perpignan, France. She came in 4th place in girls' team competition at 19th Trofeu Vila Sant Boi in Sant Boi, Spain. She won a gold medal in triathle event at UIPM XV Biathle and Triathle World Championships in Limassol, Cyprus. In 2012, she won bronze medal at Biathle World Championship in Dubai, united Arab of Emirates, she finished 48th place at Youth World Championships (girls competition) in Tata, Hungary.
Sherif Nazeir Personal life Sixteen-year-old Nazier is studying in the El-Nasr English School. He swam and played the modern pentathlon in Shams Sporting Club and started the pentathlon in 2002. Career highlights In 2013, Nazeir took a gold medal (in individual competition) at the African YOG qualification in Abidjan. He won silver at the Great Britain Youth International Championships. He took gold at the Mediterranean Coupe in France and silver (team competition) at the Biathle World Championships in Cyprus. He won two silver medals in individual and team competitions at the GBR Youth A and Youth B International in Gloucestershire, Great Britain. He finished 16th at the Youth B European championships in Belarus and came 34th at the Youth A European championships in Russia.
Haidi Adel Personal life Adel,14, is a student at Saint John High School. She started the modern pentathlon sport at seven. She was playing at the Police Federation Sporting Club but now he has no club and is searching for a new one. Adel's favourite athlete is modern pentathlete Laura Asadauskaite who won the golden medal in the 2012 Olympics Games in London. Career highlights In 2013, Adel took a silver medal (individual) and gold medal in the team mix relay at African YOG qualification Abidjan. She won silver (biathle event) and gold (triathle event) at UIPM XV Biathle and Triathle World Championships in Limassol, Cyprus. She won a silver medal at the Biathle world championship in 2010.
Hassan Youssef Youssef, 16, is a student in the Yehia El-Rafie Language School. He started playing the modern pentathlon eight years ago in Shams Sporting Club. He also practiced other sports like judo and swimming. He snatched a gold medal (in team competition) and silver (individual) at African YOG qualification in Abidjan, his first international championship. His favourite athlete is Amr Al-Geziri.
