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The Dressage team from Poland has qualified to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, after finishing first of three teams vying for one slot at the FEI Designated Qualifying Event at Pilisjászfalu on Thursday. The Grand Prix test, part of the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ held at the venue near Budapest, determined the qualification, with Poland, Hungary, and Israel all hoping to take the single team berth on offer for Group C. Poland ended the day on a total of 204.892 points, just ahead of Hungary, who finished on 202.152 for the home crowd. Israel finished third of the three on 192.522 points. It's been a good few weeks for Polish equestrian, with their Eventing team reaching Paris 2024 in the Baborówko qualifier last month. Fifteen athletes and their equine partners lined up at the start to perform the Grand Prix test for a panel of international judges. With every combo executing the same movements — unlike with the Grand Prix Freestyle — the smallest details had to be right. In addition to technical proficiency, the judges were looking for suppleness, proper framing, smooth transitions, and superior communication with the horse. A Ticket to Paris Żaneta Skowrońska-Kozubi of Poland and Romantic P were looking strong at the top of the leaderboard near the end of the competition, with one pair left to go. Whilst Lisa Müller of Germany and Gut Wettlkam’s D’avie FRH did ultimately beat them individually with a score of 72.543 percent compared to 69.696 percent, Skowrońska-Kozubi’s marks put Poland ahead of Hungary on the quest to punch a ticket to Paris next year. With three other Polish athletes in the top 10, Team Hungary were just a step behind and had to settle for second place. Mateusz Cichon and Herzregent 2 finished sixth (67.913 percent), Magdalena Jura and Ron took eighth place (67.283 percent), and Marta Sobierajska and Ultrablue De Massa ended in 10th (65.565 percent). Benedek Pachi and Donna Friderika were Hungary’s highest performing duo, earning 68.804 percent and fourth place for their Grand Prix test. Anikó Komjáthy-Losonczy took seventh place aboard Dior S (67.696 percent), and Jazmin Yom Tov — the youngest athlete in the event at 21 years old — finished in ninth place with Konfucius. Rounding out the top 10 were Franziska Stieglmaier of Germany with Samurai 504, who took the Individual bronze medal on 69.522 percent, and her compatriot Rudolf Widmann, who finished fifth aboard Ferrari OLD on 67.978 percent. Germany’s first, third, and fifth put them in the lead in FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ competition, which continues on Sunday with the Grand Prix Freestyle. Source: fei.org Equestrian FEI Dressage Group C Olympic Games Qualifier 2023 Discussion Thread Equestrian at the Summer Olympic Games Paris 2024 Qualification Tracker

Eventing teams from Australia and China will be going to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, after qualifying this weekend at the FEI Designated Olympic Qualification Event for Groups F & G (Africa, Middle East, South East Asia, and Oceania) at Millstreet, in Ireland. Five teams presented at the start for a chance to punch a ticket to France, but only two berths were on offer for those who placed highly enough. It was not the opportunity Team Japan had hoped for, finishing third in the field on 125.7 total points to 100.8 for Australia and 122.1 for China. New Zealand ended their campaign in fourth place (147.4 points), whilst South Africa finished fifth (229.9 points). With the dressage and cross country segments complete, Australia were in the lead on 85.1 points prior to the final jumping phase on Sunday. Shenae Lowings’ first-place position with Bold Venture gave the Aussies a huge boost, along with Andrew Hoy’s individual bronze medal slot aboard his most recent Olympic mount Vassily de Lassos. Team China had moved from fourth to second after the cross country, but quite a ways behind on 113.7 points. Top 10 performances by Alex Hua Tian (Chicko) and Huadong Sun (Lady Chin van't Moerven Z), though, had the Chinese athletes looking good individually. In third place, down from second after dressage, Team Japan had Kazuma Tomoto with Brookpark Vikenti in second and Ryuzo Kitajima and Feroza Nieuwmoed in fourth individually for 120.6 total points. New Zealand and South Africa were in fourth and fifth, respectively, hoping to claw back their standings on the arena jumping day. It wasn’t to be, though, for the trailing teams, even with a withdrawal from Australia’s Hoy before the jumping began. In spite of Individual second- and third-place finishes from Tomoto and Kitajima — Tomoto ending the day on just his dressage score of 28.6 — Japan couldn’t top the results from China and Australia. Teammates Yoshiaki Oiwa (No Fear JRA) and Toshiyuki Tanaka (Talma d’Allou) finished in 13th and 14th place, with three members of the Chinese team scoring above them: Hua Tian, Sun, and Yingfeng Bao (Flandia 2). Meanwhile, Team Australia had a strong showing on the arena obstacles that cemented their Paris qualification and earned an Individual first place for Lowings. Shane Rose and Dotti finished seventh overall, adding only 4 points for one fence down. Kevin McNab ended in fifth with Scuderia 1918 A Best Friend, also snagging 4 in penalties. Shenae Lowings held onto her first-place spot earned at the start, finishing on her dressage score of 24.9 points for a double victory that no doubt sent her home smiling. It’s getting down to the sharp end of the stick to qualify for Paris. International teams will have only three more chances to earn a spot at the Château de Versailles next year. The first will be the FEI Eventing European Championship at Pin au Haras, France, in August. October’s 2023 Pan American Games at Santiago, Chile will be another. And the final FEI Nations Cup show at Boekelo in the Netherlands will end opportunities to qualify, other than through a few remaining Individual slots. Who will fans see when the Equestrian events begin in Paris next year? Catch up with all the news on FEI.org and enjoy live Eventing competition on FEI TV. Source: fei.org Equestrian FEI Eventing Group F & G Olympic Games Qualifier 2023 Discussion Thread Equestrian at the Summer Olympic Games Paris 2024 Qualification Tracker

Paris 2024 quota places secured by champion athletes from Italy and Egypt Ozyuksel (TUR) and Oteiza (FRA) claim medals in thrilling Women’s Final Late slip denies Choong (GBR) glory as Hernandez (MEX) takes Men’s Final bronze Elena Micheli of Italy and Mohanad Shaban of Egypt have secured the first two direct qualification quota places for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after winning individual gold at the UIPM 2023 Pentathlon World Cup Final. Micheli (ITA) won a thrilling Women’s Final after holding off the challenge of local favourite Ilke Ozyuksel of Türkiye, who delighted the home crowd with silver, and bronze medallist Marie Oteiza of France, with Alice Sotero (ITA), Gintare Venckauskaite of Lithuania and Kerenza Bryson of Great Britain completing the top six. The Men’s Final almost had to be abandoned due to heavy rain, but it finally took place after a three-hour rain delay. And slippery conditions were a major factor in a heart-stopping Laser Run climax. Shaban (EGY) ended up on his back at the first corner, but it was a slip from Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Joseph Choong of Great Britain in the final metres that determined the winner as Shaban (EGY) prevailed in one of the most dramatic sprint finishes Modern Pentathlon has seen. Emiliano Hernandez of Mexico held off pressure from Csaba Bohm of Hungary to secure bronze, while Woojin Park of Korea and Marek Grycz of Czech Republic completed the top six. Medallists’ reaction Women’s champion Micheli (ITA) said: “I can’t actually believe it, because I stayed at home for one week because of a little injury, and I came here thinking ‘OK, let’s try it for some experience, to add it to my baggage’, and now I did it! “Everything was happening, I was trying a new gun and also my dog threw me on the ground three days ago. So I came here to try, and then I noticed I was gaining points and moving up many positions, and I thought ‘maybe I can do it today, I just need to believe in myself’. “It’s funny because something always seems to happen before the competition. I don’t know if I have to expect my life to go this way every time, but if the conclusion is like this today, OK, I can live with it. “I really have to thank all the staff, the ones that follow me every day. Thanks to Gigi, thanks to my parents, to my brothers, to Pierpaolo who stays at my side, to my friends. Thanks to all at the Carabinieri Sports Centre because it would be impossible to do this without you.” Silver medallist Ozyuksel (TUR) added: “I fell down at the beginning of the Laser Run, same as I did one month ago in the same place, so during the competition I felt so much pain. “I’m happy. I wanted to take the first place for Olympic qualification, but with 2nd place I am happy too. We will look for qualification in the future at the European Games and World Championships. “We will see – our preparation is going very well and I can focus so much better than I could last year. I can control myself more, so I am happy. Looking in future for the gold medal. “It’s unbelievable [to win a medal in a home event], and actually I was thinking about the 1st place and I got so stressed in the final shoot because I was too excited, I couldn’t control myself. But 2nd place is good too.” Bronze medallist Oteiza (FRA) said: “It’s a long process to be back at this level, and I am happy because my technical disciplines are better and better, and now it’s just Swimming and Running that are coming back slowly. “I’m really happy with this competition, which has the Olympic format – 3rd place is really nice. Shooting was OK but there were really good shooters and runners with me, and it was a battle – the last 600m was a real battle. “Elena was better than me today, also Ilke, but I’m really satisfied with this race. I hope my family watched and my boyfriend, and I am really proud to show them that slowly, but surely, I am coming back.” Men’s champion Shaban (EGY) said: “In my first World Cup of the season, in Egypt, I took the 4th place; then I got the gold here in Ankara and then the silver in Budapest. Then I came back here for the World Cup Final and I took the gold from the Olympic champion and the best finisher I think in Pentathlon – I’m so happy. “I hope to do it again in Paris 2024, and nothing is impossible. Maybe I could.” Silver medallist Choong (GBR) added: “It was a great finish. We came down the slight slope and people had their phone lights on trying to light the floor – but it doesn’t do anything, occasionally you hit a muddy bit and you slip. “There was a bit of jostling, as there always is, but I hit the last corner and then hit a puddle and tilted forwards. From then I’m sliding, splashing around, a bit like ice skating, to be honest. “But all credit to Mohanad, he’s got a good finish and I think it’s the first time someone has outsprinted me. Fair play – I’m not particularly happy about it but I’ll have it next time. “I choose to see it as a positive. In the last cycle I got that first Olympic qualification spot, and then it was a bit of a weird feeling at the Europeans because that’s the best chance to get the Olympic qualification, and it’s coming up in a few weeks. “For me not to have it now is almost a good thing because it keeps me hungry and excited for the next competition. “Becoming European champion would complete my collection, and I don’t know how many pentathletes have ever got the whole package, so that’s a big goal for me. Also the other guys like Shaban and Jun and other great athletes won’t be there, so hopefully I’m in with a good shout.” Bronze medallist Hernandez (MEX) said: “I’m amazed. We did so much hard work this season, and I have a special coach who told me ‘it’s time to put the game in play, nothing to lose, everything to win’. “I am amazed because that coach changed my mentality in this competition, and I am super happy. I hope everyone at home is happy and enjoying that Mexico is on the podium. “My goal was to qualify for Paris 2024, but they say when you aim to the stars, maybe you will arrive to the moon. And right now it’s the moon – I just finished 3rd in a World Cup Final and it’s amazing. “There are several months of hard work ahead, but I know that with my team I can have an amazing Pan American Games.” Women’s Final Riding The nerves of competing on this elevated stage were apparent as athletes undertook a challenging Riding course, but Ozyuksel (TUR) did her best to calm the tension with a 293. The big mover was Olivia Green (GBR), whose flawless round took her from 16th all the way up to 5th overall. Lithuania trio Venckauskaite (286), Laura Asadauskaite (279) and Ieva Serapinaite (286) stayed in contention and then the world champion announced her claim. Micheli (ITA) rode serenely to register an immaculate score of 300 that moved her into the top three, and she was only denied further progress by a 300 from Karolina Krenkova (CZE) and a 299 from ice queen Oteiza (FRA), who moved 14 points clear overall. It was a tough round for Rebecca Langrehr of Germany and Elodie Clouvel (FRA), each of whom incurred 28 penalties, while Mariana Arceo (MEX) and Seungmin Seong (KOR) reached the end of the road with elimination. Fencing Having moved into the top 10 overall, the star of the Bonus Round was Ozyuksel (TUR) as she scored four victories for another eight points boosting her podium prospects. Asadauskaite (LTU), Micheli (ITA) and Krenkova (CZE) also moved four points closer to their goal, but Oteiza (FRA) had the final word with a victory over Clouvel (FRA) that maintained her 14-point cushion. Oteiza (FRA) had achieved the highest score of 24V/11D in the Fencing Ranking Round, with defending champion Clouvel (FRA) only one victory worse off. Three athletes qualified for the Final after scoring a competitive 21V/13D – Langrehr (GER), Krenkova (CZE) and Seong (KOR). Swimming The swim was destined to be a showdown between the women who won the two biggest annual prizes in Modern Pentathlon last year. And it was the 2022 world champion Micheli (ITA) who touched first in the final heat in 2min 14.77sec, beating the defending Pentathlon World Cup Final champion Clouvel (FRA) by 0.63sec. The overall lead of Oteiza (FRA) was cut to 12 points as Micheli (ITA) strengthened her position and Clouvel (FRA) gained six points on her team-mate. The fastest swim of the day came in the second heat, won by a huge margin by Sotero (ITA) as she moved from 11th to 5th overall with a terrific 2:10.94. Laser Run Immediately Oteiza (FRA) looked vulnerable in pole position, as her lead was eroded in the first run and then she suffered a 26sec shoot, allowing Micheli (ITA) and Krenkova (CZE) to take advantage. In fact it was Krenkova (CZE) who caught the eye most in the first half of the race and took the lead briefly after a second rapid shoot. Behind the top three, Sotero (ITA), Ozyuksel (TUR) and Asadauskaite (LTU) were all advancing well, but Micheli (ITA) had the race-management experience and stamina to know that if she could control her shooting, she could win the race, and so it proved when a clamour of athletes arrived at the range for the final time and it was the world champion’s clinical 10sec shoot that proved decisive. Micheli (ITA) ran powerfully and held on to win by 3sec, leaving all the drama behind her. Having cut her knee so early in the race, the tenacious Ozyuksel (TUR) seemed to have enough momentum to achieve an unforgettable home win, but her final shoot let her down, like it had for Asadauskaite (LTU) on the third circuit. Their struggles enabled Sotero (ITA) to leave the fourth shoot looking good for an Italian one-two, but she was caught by Oteiza (FRA) and then by the marauding Ozyuksel (TUR). They were joined on the podium by Venckauskaite (LTU), whose Laser Run time of 11:26.30 was easily the best of the day, and Pentathlon World Cup Sofia champion Bryson (GBR, 11.47.10), who was quicker than everyone else except Ozyuksel (TUR, 11.41.90). Men’s Final Riding After a long wait for the rain to cease and the venue to become playable, another tense Riding round brought out the best of horsemanship in numerous athletes. Clean rounds enabled Grycz (CZE), Hernandez (MEX) and Park (KOR) to move up the overall standings, with Hernandez (MEX) vaulting from 10th all the way up to 2nd. Choong (GBR) and leader Shaban (EGY) each stayed in contention with a 286, while Matteo Cicinelli (ITA) and Bohm (HUN) remained prominent with only one knockdown in their rounds. The field of 18 contenders was reduced to 15 with elimination for Marvin Dogue (GER), Pavlo Tymoshchenko of Ukraine and, to the relief of the other medal favourites, defending champion and world No.1 Woongtae Jun (KOR). Fencing The Fencing Bonus Round is not the most heavily-weighted part of the sport but sometimes in the final analysis, victory in a single bout can appear to be a decisive factor. So it proved when Shaban (EGY) took his opportunity to add four points to his tally and, in doing so, deny Choong (GBR) two points to the six he had already gained from three wins. The other stars of the Bonus Round were Changwan Seo (KOR) with four wins and Grycz (CZE) with three. The Ranking Round had been dominated by Shaban (EGY), continuing his irrepressible form of 2023. With an impressive 25V/10D, he managed one more victory than Jun (KOR) and Linbin Zhang of China. Choong (GBR) was joined by Manuel Padilla (MEX) and Park (KOR) on a solid 22 victories. Swimming Predictably, world No.2 and reigning world champion Choong (GBR) boosted his victory bid in the pool, but only gained three points on Shaban (EGY) while Cicinelli (ITA) posted what was narrowly the best time of the day, 2:03.55. Choong (GBR) also ducked under 2:04 in the Pentathlon Arena 25m pool for 303 points, while Bohm (HUN) added 301 and Shaban (EGY) 300 to their overall tally. Laser Run There had to be an element of improvisation in the way the venue was rearranged to enable the Men’s Final to take place, and there were areas of the running course that the floodlights could not reach. Shaban (EGY) found this to his cost when he ran into the opening corner and lost his footing completely in a puddle. It was remarkable how well the 22-year-old Egyptian recovered from that mishap to protect his 10sec starting lead. Once again he shot with masterful consistency (12sec/12sec/8sec), only giving Choong (GBR) a chance at the last visit to the range when he took 17sec to fire his shots. Choong (GBR) seemed to have seized his chance as he muscled past his rival before entering the darkened wooded section of the cross-country course, where overtaking was unlikely. But Shaban (EGY) gritted his teeth and stayed right on the elbow of the more celebrated athlete, setting up a frantic sprint to the line that evoked memories of the epic duel between James Cooke (GBR) and Valentin Prades (FRA) at the UIPM 2018 Pentathlon World Championships in Mexico City (MEX). Speaking of Mexico, winning bronze was a monumental achievement for Hernandez (MEX), younger brother of Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Ismael Hernandez (MEX). Especially as he held off the challenge of one of the hottest athletes of this Olympic cycle, Bohm (HUN). Conditions being as bad as they were, those who mastered the conditions best could be truly proud of their efforts, as Balazs Szep (HUN) managed the day’s best time of 10:30.57, with Seo (KOR, 10:31.99) next-fastest ahead of Choong (GBR, 10:36.60). President’s reaction UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “The Women’s Final this morning included a lucky situation with the weather conditions that enabled us to see an excellent competition in this fantastic facility with five disciplines in a Pentathlon Arena. “The athletes performed so well, knowing that only the winning place would be a seat at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and we saw a great final with the Laser Run which is always the most exciting part of our multi-sport Modern Pentathlon. “I also want to underline that the volunteers and referees and everyone who is vital to a successful competition created a great foundation for our sport. The athletes were fantastic and let’s see now what they can achieve in the continental championships and the UIPM Pentathlon World Championships in Bath coming up soon. “It was also super to see the host nation celebrating their silver medal won by Ilke Ozyuksel. “In the men’s competition there was a really big challenge for all of us – for the organisers, for the Union and for the athletes and coaches – when we saw this unbelievable rainfall that almost stopped the event. “After a long discussion with the coaches – and it was very important to listen to the athletes – we finally decided following the athletes’ wishes that we could replicate all that was needed to keep the competition at the same facility. “But the Men’s Final was so exciting, and everybody thought the Olympic champion would win but the Egyptian athlete has a big heart, and to fight him down in the final metres was so exciting. “I congratulate all athletes who were on the podium, all who reached today’s Finals and also all athletes who qualified for this competition. Thanks to the Turkish Federation and National Olympic Committee and all involved in this fantastic first Olympic qualification competition in Ankara.” Source: uipmworld.org Modern Pentathlon UIPM World Cup 2023 Discussion Thread Modern Pentathlon at the Summer Olympic Games Paris 2024 Qualification Tracker

Serapinaite (LTU) and Shaban (EGY) are top qualifiers for Ankara (TUR) Glittering array of past champions in the chase for Olympic places Who will be the first two pentathletes to qualify for Paris 2024? There is a moment in every Olympic cycle when the reality of qualification is no longer somewhere on the horizon. It’s here. Four days from now in Ankara (TUR), two athletes will have earned their countries a direct qualification quota place for Modern Pentathlon at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Success at the UIPM 2023 Pentathlon World Cup Final is the first of numerous opportunities to stake a claim to be on the start line in Versailles, but competition is fierce with only one female and one male athlete earning the accolade. And there are dozens of athletes among the 72 qualifiers who are capable of winning if they can achieve peak performance on the day. Ones to watch – Women Two female athletes achieved the highest level of consistency during the regular season, enabling them to top the UIPM 2023 Pentathlon World Cup qualification rankings. Thanks to her gold medal here in Ankara (TUR) and bronze in Sofia (BUL), Ieva Serapinaite of Lithuania scored 136 qualification points – one more than Salma Abdelmaksoud of Egypt, who won bronze in Cairo (EGY) and Budapest (HUN) and reached the Final in Ankara (TUR). As the season wore on, Serapinaite (LTU) and the rest of the field sensed the growing threat of her team-mates, Laser Run specialists Gintare Venckauskaite (LTU) and Laura Asadauskaite (LTU) – who secured Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification by winning this event in 2019 in Tokyo (JPN). They are likely to be part of the storyline this week, along with 2022 world champion Elena Micheli of Italy, although her form – 4th in Cairo (EGY) and 17th in Budapest (HUN) – is perhaps not yet where she would like it to be. Speaking of form, Blanka Guzi of Hungary could be a contender after her world-record winning performance on home soil in Budapest (HUN), which she followed with a 7th in Sofia (BUL). And Kerenza Bryson of Great Britain comes into the Final on the back of a double gold in Sofia (BUL), making her a real contender alongside world No.4 Jessica Varley (GBR), last year’s silver medallist. The defending champion this week is Elodie Clouvel of France, who started the season with silver in Cairo (EGY) and followed up with 6th in Ankara (TUR). Like two-time World Cup winner Marie Oteiza (FRA), if the world No.2 can steady her nerves in the shooting range she could be hard to beat. Local favourite Ilke Ozyuksel of Türkiye is another top-10 athlete lurking in the field, along with Olivia Green (GBR), while 20-year-old Seungmin Seong of Korea leads the charge of the next generation – and Asia – after her silver medal in Sofia (BUL) capped a strong season. From the Western Hemisphere, Mariana Arceo of Mexico reached the top eight in the qualification rankings and, besides the individual event, will be a big contender for gold in the Mixed Relay if selected. Visit the UIPM website to see the full UIPM 2023 Pentathlon World Cup rankings for women. Ones to watch – Men Few athletes are able to overcome the handicap of a poor Fencing performance in Modern Pentathlon, but for those who excel on the piste, the challenge is more about learning to defend a lead. Accomplished fencer Mohanad Shaban (EGY) showed admirable improvement in this regard during the regular season. Having been caught in Laser Run to finish 4th in the season-opener in Cairo (EGY), he responded with remarkable maturity to win gold in Ankara (TUR) and silver in Budapest (HUN), giving him a colossal 163 qualification points. By contrast, an athlete who tends to operate by stealth is 2nd-ranked Martin Vlach of Czech Republic, the Laser Run world record-holder who took bronze in Cairo (EGY) and Budapest (HUN) either side of a 5th place in Ankara (TUR). With 148 points, Vlach (CZE) arrives here just ahead of Valentin Prades (FRA), gold medallist in Sofia (BUL) and an athlete with supreme pedigree having won the UIPM Pentathlon World Cup Final three times – in 2013, 2017 and 2021. Speaking of pedigree, it’s hard not to view the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and 2022 world champion Joseph Choong (GBR) as the men’s gold-medal favourite this week. Even though his last visit to Ankara (TUR) did not yield a vintage performance, a 4th place in Sofia (BUL) suggested ominous momentum. There are a few athletes so consistent in their application of the five disciplines that when all goes well, they are simply unbeatable. Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist, defending World Cup Final champion, world No.1 and world record-holder Woongtae Jun (KOR) certainly belongs in that category, as demonstrated by his awesome gold in Budapest (HUN). So who else has what it takes to scale the men’s podium on Super Saturday? There is a long list of contenders including Valentin Belaud (FRA), team-mates Csaba Bohm and Balazs Szep (HUN) and the veteran Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist, Pavlo Tymoshchenko of Ukraine and Sofia (BUL) silver medallist Taishu Sato of Japan. Visit the UIPM website to see the full UIPM 2023 Pentathlon World Cup rankings for men. Road to Paris 2024 The first direct qualification quota places for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be won on 3 June – the individual finals day at the UIPM 2023 Pentathlon World Cup Final. There are another 14 competitions taking place in 2023 and 2024 where points count towards the dream of competing in the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris (FRA). Discover the Modern Pentathlon qualification pathway. President’s welcome UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “Türkiye has become a very dependable partner in our global sports movement and this week Ankara hosts the UIPM Pentathlon World Cup Final for the second successive year with a wonderful Pentathlon Arena where spectators will be able to watch all five disciplines in the same venue. “The format will be an exact replica of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 Modern Pentathlon competition, enabling athletes and coaches to precisely rehearse their actions and routines. “I would like to thank the Turkish Modern Pentathlon Federation for arranging this showpiece competition, as well as the upcoming UIPM 2023 U19 World Championships in Istanbul where we will see the exciting integration of Obstacle into Modern Pentathlon. “For now, it is all about the elite competition here in Ankara, where 72 of the world’s most versatile athletes are competing at the highest level in the historic Modern Pentathlon disciplines of Riding, Fencing, Swimming and Laser Run in the hope of making their Olympic dreams come true. “Once again, I ask athletes to remember their responsibility to compete in a spirit of fair play, as our founder Pierre de Coubertin envisaged, and respect the Olympic values as we together enjoy the glory of our wonderful sport of Modern Pentathlon. Faster, Stronger, Higher … Together.” Competition schedule UIPM 2023 Pentathlon World Cup Final Times denote start of UIPM.TV live coverage (CEST) May 31: Fencing Ranking Round June 1: Women’s Semi-Final A (9am) | Women’s Semi-final B (3pm) June 2: Men’s Semi-Final A (9am) | Men’s Semi-final B (3pm) June 3: Women’s Final (9am) | Men’s Final (3pm) June 4: Mixed Relay (11.30am) Source: uipmworld.org Modern Pentathlon UIPM World Cup 2023 Discussion Thread Modern Pentathlon at the Summer Olympic Games Paris 2024 Qualification Tracker

There are exciting fixtures lined up ahead after the draw for the qualifiers of the Paris 2024 Women's Olympic Football Tournament (WOFT) was conducted on Tuesday. Among the entertaining matches lined up include a West African derby pitting Guinea and Ghana, while Uganda will take on Rwanda in an East African duel. Burkina Faso will take on Mali in another entertaining fixture in the first round. A total of 25 teams have entered the Olympic qualifying tournament, with 18 set to be involved in the first round. The remaining seven, headlined by champions South Africa are the highest ranked teams from last year’s TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and will join the competition in the second round. The nine winners from the first round will join the seven highest ranked teams for a second-round tie involving 16 teams. The eight winners progress to the third round, then the fourth round where the teams will be whittled to four. Winners of the fourth round will qualify for the final tournament. At the last Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, Zambia represented Africa, and the She-polopolo will start their journey towards a possible back-to-back qualification in the second round. The first-round matches are scheduled for July 10-18 2023, the second round October 23-31, third round February 19-28 February 2024 while the final round will be staged between April 1-9 2024. First Round Fixtures: Guinea Bissau vs Benin, Guinea vs Ghana, Burkina Faso vs Mali, Cote d’Ivoire vs Sierra Leone, Namibia vs Equatorial Guinea, Uganda vs Rwanda, Ethiopia vs Chad, Congo vs Tanzania, Mozambique vs DR Congo. Second Round Fixtures: Guinea Bissau/Benin vs Guinea/Ghana, Burkina Faso/Mali vs Zambia, Cote d’Ivoire/Sierra Leone vs Tunisia, Namivia/Equatorial Guinea vs Morocco, Uganda/Rwanda vs Cameroon, Ethiopia/Chad vs Nigeria, Congo/Tanzania vs Botswana, Mozambique/DR Congo vs South Africa. Match Schedule First round 10–18 July 2023 Second round 23–31 October 2023 Third round 19–28 February 2024 Fourth round 1–9 April 2024 Source: cafonline.com Source: fiba.basketball Women's Football CAF African Olympic Games Qualification Tournament 2023 - 2024 Discussion Thread Women's Football Tournament at the Summer Olympic Games Paris 2024 Qualification Tracker