Pentathlon GB has today announced the squad that will compete at the European Championships this August, with the majority of them being based at the University of Bath.
London 2012 silver medallist Samantha Murray, Kate French and Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Francesca Summers will make up the women’s team.
It is yet to be decided whether the fourth competitive spot will be filled by Freyja Prentice who is returning to the sport after a period of injury, or 2012 Olympian and former World Champion Mhairi Spence.
The men’s team will feature multiple World Cup winner and World Record holder Jamie Cooke and double Olympian Nick Woodbridge, along with Joseph Choong and Tom Toolis.
The GB squad had a disappointing World Championships and will be looking to make amends on home soil next month.
The event, which will take place on the 18th – 23rd August at the University of Bath’s Sports Training Village, will be a key competition for the GB pentathletes aiming to compete at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, where only two athletes per gender per nation are able to compete.
Pentathlon GB Performance Director, Jan Bartu, said: “Everyone has pushed incredibly hard this year, especially with the Europeans in mind as not only are the championship titles up for grabs but this will also be one of the best opportunities for the team to try and achieve the Olympic qualifying standard.
“Bath is the home of the GB team so they will be competing on home soil. This is only the second time the events been held in the UK, so this is a rare opportunity for the pentathletes to by cheered on by so many British supporters.”
Supporters can see over 100 athletes from more than 20 European countries competing in the five disciplines of fencing, swimming, show jumping, shooting and running, all in one day, in a challenge of skill and endurance.
Spectators have the opportunity to watch the fast-paced team relays throughout the week before the individual finals at the weekend.
The venue will include a bespoke spectator’s village offering family entertainment and hospitality, with a bird’s eye view of the main sporting arena.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to try their hands at some of the challenging disciplines.
Tickets are priced from just £6 with under 18s welcomed for £1 each and can be bought from www.pentathlongb.org/euros2015.
For more information check out @Euros2015 or www.facebook.com/MPEC2015.
The Modern Pentathlon European Championships forms part of the UK Sport’s £27 million National Lottery funded #EveryRoadtoRio campaign, designed to help athletes qualify and prepare for Rio 2016.
