Freyja Prentice wins bronze for Pentathlon GB at World Cup in Cairo

23 March 2015

Freyja Prentice became the third British woman to stand on a Modern Pentathlon World Cup podium this season as she won bronze in Cairo, Egypt.

The University of Bath biology graduate was seventh going into the final combined run-shoot event but battled her way through the field to take third place in a thrilling finish.

Prentice’s medal adds to the gold and bronze won by Pentathlon GB team-mates Samantha Murray and Kate French respectively at the first World Cup in the USA last month.

A strong fencing performance got Prentice off to a solid start in Saturday’s final but she could only finish 26th fastest in the swim.

However, she got back in contention by scoring a maximum 300 points in the ride – all the more impressive as she was on a reserve horse after the one she had drawn was eliminated in the first round under another rider.

Pentathlon GB Performance Director Jan Bartu felt that performance was key, saying: “I think that gave her the confidence she needed going into the last event to get a medal.

“Freyja has been a long time in waiting for a performance like this.”

Prentice was eventually only beaten by Lithuania’s Laura Asadauskaite and American Margaux Isaksen, who had led by 31 seconds going into the run-shoot.

Prentice finished with 1,323 points, while team-mate Francesca Summers – making her World Cup debut – was a fine 14th overall on 1,274.

Joe Evans and Jamie Cooke were both struck down with a stomach bug ahead of the men’s final on Sunday and that had a major effect on their performances as they finished 15th and 32nd respectively.

Evans was sixth going into the run-shoot and looked on course for his best World Cup placing for two years but ran out of energy in the final event, as did Cooke.

“These things happen and it’s not an excuse, that just the way it is,” Bartu added.

“We should not be disappointed with the men given the circumstances.

“Francesca also deserves big credit for the way in which she performed, being in the situation of competing at a World Cup for the first time in her life.

“It was fantastic to see and so good for the women’s group as another athlete is now there and lining up.”

Pentathlon GB also enjoyed success at the Swiss Women’s International, where Jo Muir claimed overall victory and Mhairi Spence was fifth.

 

Tickets are now on sale for the Modern Pentathlon European Championships, which are being staged at the University of Bath Sports Training Village from August 18-23. Click here for more information.

Sponsors
Partners and Suppliers