HSV Wr. Neustadt shines in the hot pentathlon in Prague!

HSV Wr. Neustadt shines in the hot pentathlon in Prague!

On June 16, 2025, the 5th competition of the Czech youth cup in the modern pentathlon and the Czech championship of the U15 took place in the sports area Juliska in Prague. Over 100 young athletes: Inside from the Czech Republic, Germany and Austria, at extremely high temperatures that were over 30 degrees Celsius, took part in this event. The athletes had to prove themselves in several disciplines: Obstacle Course Racing (OCR), swimming and laser run.

particularly highlighted is Moritz Altmann, who achieved the best result for Austria in the U15. Altmann had previously won a silver medal at the European Championship in the Laser Run in Funchal. He was able to reach an OCR period of 0: 52.44 minutes, a swimming time over 100 meters of 1: 15.33 minutes and a laser run time of 7: 20.93 minutes and took 15th place. Alexander Teufel, also in the U15, scored an OCR period of 1: 05.61 minutes, while his laser run time was 7: 44.92 minutes, which secured 27th place.

performance of the young athletes

in the U11 age group, Finn Flechl showed stable performance in all disciplines with his 10 years. He captivated with a clean technique in the OCR and, with its swimming season, came over 50 meters and the 600-meter run in midfield to an overall rank of 16. The coaching team of HSV Wr. Neustadt emphasized the importance of the international flair and the demanding conditions that contribute to the development of athletes. The competition in Prague is considered a location for the modern pentathlon in Central Europe.

about the modern pentathlon

The modern pentathlon traditionally includes five disciplines: fencing, swimming, riding, shooting and running. He was initiated by Pierre de Coubertin as a modern form of ancient pentathlon and has been part of the Olympic Games since 1912. The competition has been carried out in one day since 1996, with all disciplines taking place in a compact format. The latest developments show that from 2024 the riding will be replaced by an obstacle discipline in order to take into account animal welfare concerns and to make the sport more inclusive. The laser run that combines running and shooting was introduced in 2010 and is often used as part of young talent competitions to offer athletes practical experience.

The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) took numerous measures to keep the modern pentathlon for the Olympic Games attractive. In recent years there have been discussions about the relevance and format of the competition, especially after incidents such as those of Annika Schleu at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, where riding focused on criticism. In order to deal with the ongoing debate about attractiveness and regularity of the competition, test competitions for the new obstacle discipline are currently taking place, which are geared towards the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Overall, the competition in Prague not only shows the talents of the individual athletes, but also reflects the ongoing changes and challenges that modern pentathlon experiences. Athletes and trainers are optimistic about the future and are committed to ensuring that this varied sport continues to grow and develop.