Italian champion Riccardo De Luca captured the gold medal in the Modern Pentathlon World Cup Two for men hosted by Egypt. In the women's final, Lithuanian Laura Asasauskaite took first. The World Cup Two was held from 2-6 April at the Police Academy. Pentathlete Asasauskaite took first with 1,328 points: 250 in fencing, 277 in swimming, 290 in riding and 511 in running and shooting. Poland's Oktawia Nowacka finished second with a total 1,325 points — 238 in fencing, 299 in swimming, 287 in riding and 501 in running and shooting. Due to the recent political unrest, the World Cup event has not been held in Cairo since 2011. President of the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) Klaus Schormann told Al-Ahram Weekly in an exclusive interview that the Egyptian Modern Pentathlon Federation (EMPF) has a long tradition in organising high-level competitions, which is why EMPF was awarded the World Cup again. “After all the information I received last year, this year, I talked with the Egyptian National Olympic Committee (ENOC), EMPF's President Sherif El-Erian and my society here. My personal evaluation and my judgment pointed to a green light for this World Cup. Until today, I am happy to say it was the right decision to come here. All the top level athletes from 30 nations are competing here,” he said. Chinese Qian Chen came third with 1,321 points. Her scores read 256 in fencing, 294 in swimming, 274 in riding and 497 in running and shooting. Margaux Isaksen claimed fourth with 1,311 points. In fifth place, Russian Donata Rimsaite collected 1,302. Egyptian Haidi Adel finished in 33th place with 930 points. “Egyptian women athletes have done well,” said El-Erian. “They are a junior team competing in senior events. Their ages are between 15 and 19. We hoped that penathletes Haidi Adel and Sondous Tarek would surprise us and win the final although they haven't practice equestrian yet. It is also a good chance for them to gain more experience. Adel managed to reach the final.” Technical director of the Egyptian team, Mohamed Hossam, added, “We are preparing the women's team for Junior World championships U21 in Egypt from 27 July to 2 August. Junior Penathletes U21 were Lamia Fathi, Reem Hossam Eddin and Alaa Asharf. Meanwhile, youth athletes Sondous Tarek and Haidi Adel qualified for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Nanjing, China 2014. YOG Nanjing will be held from 16 to 28 August. Junior athletes are trained on riding horses but the youth athletes' main target is YOG. They didn't ride horses yet. After the YOG, we will start training them. This is part of the preparation plan for Tarek and Adel for the YOG. Tarek is already qualified because she is the African champion and Adel is her reserve. Next week, Tarek and Adel are going to participate in the Memorial of M. Kadlec (Junior) in the Czech Republic from 12 to 13 April. Then, they will participate in the International Vila de Sant Boi Youth A and Youth B in Spain from 26 to 27 April and Youth A World Championships in Hungary from 14 to 19 May.” In the men's final, Italian champion Riccardo De Luca finished first with a score of 1,441 points — 232 in fencing, 307 in swimming, 299 in riding and 603 in the combined event. From France Christopher Patte won second place with 1,433 points. Patte scored 232 in fencing, 323 in swimming, 286 in riding and 592 in combined. From the Czech Republic, Jan Kuf won third place with 1,422 points. Kuf scored 226 in fencing, 317 in swimming, 291 in riding and 588 in combined. Egyptian Islam Hamed finished in 10th place with 1,404 points: 208 in fencing, 326 in swimming, 293 in riding and 577 in combined. Amr El-Geziri came in the 14th place with 1,400 points: 232 in fencing, 346 in swimming, 300 in riding and 522 in combined. “The five athletes who qualified for the final were the two brothers Amr Al-Geziri and Omar Al-Geziri, in addition to Yasser Hefni, Islam Hamed and junior player Mohamed Eid,” Al-Erian said. “Omar was scintillating at fencing, swimming and riding. After he crossed the finish line in the riding event, the horse bridle was torn and he was thrown down from his horseback. He got injured in his vibiro muscle. He couldn't compete in full strength at the combined event. Omar finished in the 19th place. Islam Hamed has also performed well. Last year, he was from the junior team. He is progressing rapidly. I think he has a good chance to reach the World Cup Final.” Ukranians Pavlo Tymoshchenko and Buslan Nakonechynyl won fourth place with 1,421 points and fifth with 1,421 points respectively. Commenting on the organising of World Cup Two in Cairo, Schormann praised the preparations made. “We started badly in World Cup One in Acapulco, Mexico. In Cairo, EMPF, with its volunteers and the support of the Police Academy, the Equestrian Federation, the military forces and with financial support from the government, we were presented with a great World Cup event. This is what we like to have for our athletes' — the best conditions and unbelievable, perfect horses. I am totally satisfied. I wrote an official message to the executive board members that if anyone in Cairo is complaining about anything regarding the competition, then he is a liar,” Schormann said. In team mix-relay final, members of the Russian team, Dmitry Suslov and Donata Rimsaite, won the gold with a score of 1,443 points. The Czech Republic team comprised of Jan Kuf and Barbora Kodedova Kasza won the silver with 1,435 points and Italians Gloria Tocchi and Riccardo De Luca won the bronze with 1,428 points. Last Sunday 6th April, UIPM decided to celebrate the first international day for peace and sports in Cairo after the mix relays events of the World Cup Two at the Police Academy. April 6th is the United Nations' (UN) International Day of Sports for the Development of Peace, which recognises the power of sports in promoting peace and erasing cultural barriers worldwide. The white cards representing the ethics of the modern pentathlon sport were raised up in a symbolic gesture for peace. The colour white was used as the symbol of peace in connection with a sport, which is a universal language of cooperation matching the spirit of the Olympic movement. Among the attendees were Minister of Sports and Youth Khaled Abdel-Aziz, UIPM's President, Peace and Sport President and UIPM Vice-President Joel Bouzou, President of the Egyptian Olympic Committee NOC Khaled Zeineddin and all the NOC members and presidents of the sports federations. “It is a very special day,” Schormann said. “It sends a political message to your society in business, politics and sports. UIPM, along with the EMPF, have succeeded in encouraging other sports to come back to Cairo. The modern pentathlon is a sport for everybody — all genders, all age groups and all religious groups.” Schormann said that he had discussions with the General Manager of the Police Academy Major-General, Akram Kararah, to continue using the centre permanently for the future. “All conditions are available in this academy; fixed facilities, accommodations and training possibilities to have a modern pentathlon academy in Africa. It will be discussed and announced after the coming executive board meeting in June. Also, we will announce the World Cup series for the coming years,” he said.
