Pentathlon News
British teenager Prentice fourth as Hungarian Gyenesei wins Bath International posted by Steve Ballinger on02-04-2009
Teenage pentathlete Freyja Prentice continued her impressive form from the Mexico World Cup by finishing fourth at the Bath International today (Thursday).
The 18-year-old came 10th at her first World Cup in Mexico City at the weekend. And just 48 hours after landing back in the UK she crossed the finish line as the highest placed British athlete at the Bath International, held at the University of Bath Sports Training Village.
Prentice finished just ahead of Beijing 2008 Olympians Heather Fell in fifth and Katy Livingston in sixth at the event, which featured the sport’s new combined run/shoot format.
Hungary’s Leila Gyenesei took the title, climbing from eighth place going into the combined event, with the Czech pair of Natalie Dianova and Sylvie Cerna taking second and third respectively. Athens 2004 gold medallist Zsuzsanna Voros finished 10th.
Prentice went into the final discipline, the run/shoot, in 14th place, but shot well, taking just 15 shots to hit all 15 targets. She had climbed to fourth after the third of three shooting sessions and managed to overtake Beijing 2008 silver medallist Heather Fell, but was overtaken by Dianova.
Prentice completed the combined run/shoot in 12:39.91, the fastest time in the field.
Afterwards she said: “I didn’t have anything left at the finish, there was nothing at all in the tank. I had a good swim, ride and combined event, but I’ve never fenced that badly in my life. I think that challenged me and made me work harder.”
Fell, silver medallist in Beijing, climbed from 10th to fifth in the combined event. She said: “It was a positive result for me in a young and enthusiastic field. I had five months out after the Olympics so I’ve only been back in training for two months.”
Gyenesei said she was overjoyed to win. “I’m very happy because this was the first time I’ve finished on the podium in an international competition. The new format is better for me. I missed four shots though, so it could be better.”
Earlier Voros made a strong start to the day, winning 22 of her 31 fencing contests. That meant the Hungarian led the field jointly with Janine Kohlmann of Germany and Cerna of the Czech Republic.
Charlotte Grandfield was the highest placed Brit in seventh with 19 wins and Sam Murray was just behind her in eighth with 18 wins and Montana Jones joint 10th with 17 wins. Fell and Livingston were joint 14th with 16 wins a-piece. Prentice won 14 and lost 17 to put her 22nd.
Grandfield produced a strong swim to shoot to the top of the leaderboard after two disciplines with 2136 points. Her time of 2:11.96 was second quickest. Voros dropped down to second place with Gyenesei producing the fastest swim of the day in a time of 2:09.42 to climb from 10th to third overall.
Britain’s Murray climbed to fifth with Jones remaining 10th, Livingston 11th and Fell 14th. Prentice swam a pb of 2:24.71 to climb a place to 21st.
In the equestrian element five Brits – Rebecca Wain, Fleur Ross-Harris, Rachael Hares and Kate French and Sam Murray - produced clear rounds at the West Wilts Equestrian Centre.
Grandfield, riding the 10-year-old chestnut mare Leila, had just one fence down for 1180 points taking her total to 3316 to lead the field going into the combined run/shoot.
Voros also had one fence down, remaining in second place with 3300 points.
Cerna and Murray both went clear for the maximum 1200 points to put them both in third on 3256. Livingston accumulated 60 penalty points, climbing a couple of places to ninth going into the final discipline, while Fell dropped 40 points to climb to 10th. Louise Helyer had the penultimate fence down for 1180 points, climbing to 11th, while Prentice also scored 1180 to put her 14th going into the run/shoot.
Gyenesei had gone into the riding in third place, before dropping 100 points in the arena to put her eighth going into the combined event, with Britain’s Murray going into the combined event in fourth.
Tomorrow (Friday) sees the men go into action in the Bath International.
Bath International women’s results
Gold: Leila Gyenesei (HUN) 5388 pts
Silver: Natalie Danova (CZE) 5368 pts
Bronze: Sylvie Cerna (CZE) 5364
4th: Freyja Prentice (GBR) 5344
5th: Heather Fell (GBR) 5336
6th: Katy Livingston (GBR) 5324
12th: Sam Murray (GBR) 5156
13th: Louise Helyer (GBR) 5124
18th: Charlotte Grandfield (GBR) 4952
20th: Kate French (GBR) 4920
21st: Fleur Ross-Harris (GBR) 4876
23rd: Rachael Hares (GBR) 4780
25th: Lindsey Weedon (GBR) 4700
26th: Rebecca Wain (GBR) 4648
27th: Montana Jones (GBR) 4536
28th: Sarah Mosley (GBR) 4404
29th: Lucy Ferguson (GBR) 4076
32nd: Katy Burke (GBR) 1964 (withdrew)
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