60th WMC Aeronautical Pentathlon - Tikkakoski (FIN) - Update
TIKKAKOSKI (FIN) - The 60th World Military Aeronautical Pentathlon Championship started in Tikkakoski, Finland. 53 athletes (34 men and 19 women) from Brazil, Denmark, Ecuador, Spain, Finland, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Sweden and Ukraine gathered in Tikkakoski, central Finland, for four days of competition, including Shooting, Obstacle Swimming, Fencing, Ball Contest, Obstacle Run and Orienteering!
The Opening Ceremony was held in the presence of the Chiefs of Mission of the participating Delegations, high local authorities and the Patron of the 60th World Military Aeronautical Pentathlon Championship, Major General Juha-Pekka Keränen, Commander of the Finnish Air Force.
In his welcoming remarks, Major General Juha-Pekka Keränen said: “International relationships are important in today’s networked world, and the friendships you form here whilst competing may help you later in your career. Please, compete hard but at same time socialise with the other teams’ members. We are glad to have nine nations gathered here to vie for the world championship in military aeronautical pentathlon. I am convinced that the best athletes will step to the podium on the 23rd of August. Competitors, I wish you great success in your performances – and friendship through sport!”.
After the protocol, it was time for the sport and the competition.
The Shooting and Obstacle Swimming events were on the program for the first day of competition.
In the women's event, Rocio Sosa from Spain won the shooting event with a solid score of 178 which translated into a total of 1020 points. The Spaniard was ahead of the Brazilian Mayara Soares Da Silva, second with 172 points (930 points), while local athlete Heini Pelto took third place with 170 points (900) thanks to the support of local fans.
The men's competition was also very close and it was the Ukrainian Dmitriy Kmetjuk who started his show by taking the first place in the shooting competition with 183 points (1095 points), just ahead of the Spaniard Eduardo Carrillo, crowned World Champion of the discipline in 2021 and CISM Athlete of the Year 2021, second with 181 points (1065 points). The Ecuadorian Antonio Lugo finishes on the third step of the podium with a total of 175 points (975 points).
The afternoon then continued with the Obstacle Swimming competition. Czech Republic's representative Kateřina Molnárová who achieved the best time of the day in 01:14.6, less than two seconds ahead of her closest pursuer, Brazil's Ellen Caroline De Souza (01:16.3) while Lithuania's Vaiva Pėstininkė finished third in 01:16.6.
After winning the morning's shooting competition, Ukraine's Dmitriy Kmetjuk did double duty by taking first place in the men's Obstacle Swimming competition and in the process set the world record for the discipline, which dated back to the Wuhan 2019 Games, in 00:57.1 far ahead of Sweden's Erik Vikman 01:05.8 and Finland's Lauri Ikonen (01:05.9), who finished second and third respectively.
On the second day of competition, our 53 military athletes competed in fencing. Fencing is a fast-paced sport. The duration of each bout is either three hits or two minutes. In the Aeronautical Pentathlon, each competitor fights against every other competitor, so you are facing many new opponents within one hour.
Ukrainian Dmitriy Kmetjuk was once again very impressive as he continued his winning streak by taking the first place in the event with 28 victories in 33 bouts. The Ukrainian also consolidates his first place in the overall ranking. The Spaniard Jorge Vicente, also author of a very good fencing competition with 28 victories, takes the second place followed by the Ecuadorian Navi Pabon, 25 victories in the counter.
The Ukrainian delegation also won the women's fencing competition thanks to Yelyzaveta Zenova, winner of 14 of her 18 bouts, who finished tied with Laura Quintero (ECU), Mayara Soares Da Silva (BRA) and Andrea Fernandez (BRA), also winners of 14 bouts.
See you this Monday morning for the ball contest!
- Results : Shooting Men – Shooting Women – Swimming Men – Swimming Women – Fencing Men – Fencing Women
All the results are available here !
(Source: CISM Media & Communication Department - Pictures and videos: Finnish Delegation to CISM)
