Coyle makes great start to 2012 season with a top 10 finish in Budapest

Natalya Coyle made a great start to her 2012 season with a top 10 finish at the Hungarian Indoor Competition this weekend in Budapest. Coyle, who finished 8th out of 40 female athletes competing, was never outside the top 10 during the five disciplines.

In the fencing event where each athlete fights for one hit against each of the other competitors, Coyle won 23fights and lost 16 which gave her 904 pentathlon points and put her in 10th position. Next to the swim and a 200m swim against the clock where Coyle posted a time of 2:20,98 which was just shy of her personal best time. This gave her 1112 pentathlon points and moved her up to 9th position after two events.

In the riding draw, Coyle drew a horse called 'Londi'. After her 20minutes warm up period and 5 practice fences, the pair rode a very accomplished clear round and within the time allowed given Coyle a maximum score of 1200 pentathlon points. Misfortune in the arena for two of the Hungarian athletes score Coyle move up to 7th position after the completion of three events.

Coyle started the final run/shoot event in 7th position with a 28second deficit from the competition leader, Samantha Murray (GBR). Completing her first of three shoot series in 15seconds saw Coyle make up ground on the leaders and occupy the bronze medal position for the first 1km run lap. A slower second shoot series of 25seconds allowed the chasing athletes to make up ground and Coyle dropped to 6th position. Coyle's final shoot of 21seconds wasn't enough to make up ground on the athletes ahead of her and despite a fast paced last lap in the run she crossed the line in 8th position. Coyle's overall time for the combined event was 12.01.71 (2116 points) which equals her personal best for this discipline.

Coyle will now travel to Charlotte in the USA to compete in the first World Cup competition of 2012 where she will be joined by Arthur Lanigan-O'Keeffe and Eanna Bailey who had to miss this event due to illness. All three Irish athletes will be looking to perform well in the four World Cup competitions in March and April to try to qualify for the World Cup Final in China in May. Finishing places at these competitions, along with the World Championships in Rome in May, will give valuable ranking points and will vital in their Olympic qualification campaigns. We wish all three athletes the best in this upcoming competition period.