Britain’s best head to University of Bath for second Pentathlon GB National Ranking Competition
The country’s top modern pentathletes will once again be in action at the University of Bath over the weekend as they contest the second Pentathlon GB National Ranking Competition of 2017.
The U19s are up first in the Youth category on Saturday, featuring athletes from clubs across the country as well as a small contingent of German pentathletes to add an international flavour to the competition.
It is then the turn of the seniors on Sunday, where Rio 2016 Olympians Samantha Murray, Kate French, Joe Choong – a sporting ambassador for Team Bath partners MJ Church – and Jamie Cooke will be among a top-quality field contesting the swimming, fencing and run/shoot before heading to West Wiltshire Equestrian Centre for the ride.
The University of Bath is home from home for many of the athletes taking part as it has been the proud host of Pentathlon GB’s National Training Centre for the past two decades.
Athletes train in the fencing salle, the London 2012 Legacy Pool and the laser-pistol shooting range, as well as the EiS High-Performance Gym. Many also combine their sport with studying at the University – both Murray and French are graduates, in French & Politics and Sport Performance respectively, while Ivor Powell Scholar Choong studies Mathematics.
Jess Varley, who is supported by the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS), is the latest student to earn international selection after being named in the Pentathlon GB squad for the World Cup in Los Angeles from February 22-26.
The Natural Sciences student will be joined in the women’s competition by French, Murray and 2015 World Junior Champion Francesca Summers. Myles Pillage will make his senior GB debut in the men’s competition alongside Cooke, Sport & Exercise Science student Tom Toolis and Politics & International Relations graduate Sam Curry.
