Irish Team Travel to Italy for 2011 Modern Pentathlon World Cup

13 Apr 2011


The Irish team will travel to Italy later this week to compete in the second World Cup event of 2011. Natalya Coyle will be looking to build on a positive start to the season after her 21st place in the first World Cup event in Palm Springs. While Arthur Lanigan-O'Keeffe and Eanna Bailey will be hoping to improve on their performances from the first world cup and qualify for the final in Italy.


Natalya, 20, from Co. Meath is the sole Irish representative in the women's event and her first goal is to qualify for the final at the world cup event. With record entries to the women's competition, over 90 athletes must compete in semi final competitions comprising of fencing, swimming and the combined run/shoot event (no riding). The top 12 athletes from each of three semi finals will qualify, giving a field of 36 athletes for the final. Natalya will be hoping for a repeat of her form from the USA where she coasted through the qualification competition however the record number of athletes will make this a tough task. The semi finals for the women's event will be held on Thursday 14th April with the final taking place on Saturday 16th.


The men's semi final will be held on Friday 15th April where Ireland will be represented by Arthur Lanigan-O'Keeffe and Eanna Bailey.


Both athletes will be looking to achieve qualification for the men's final and their first opportunity to compete in a final at a World Cup event on Sunday 17th April. With over a 100 athletes expected for the men's competition, qualification will be split over three semi final groups, meaning just the top 12 from each group will qualify for the final. Arthur narrowly missed on this achievement at the last World Cup competition where he finished in 14th position, just two places off qualification.


The 2011 World Cup Series:

  • World Cup 1 - USA, 23rd - 27th February
  • World Cup 2 - Italy, 14th - 17th March
  • World Cup 3 - Hungary, 5th - 8th May
  • World Cup 4 - China, 26th - 29th May
  • World Cup Final - Great Britain, 9th - 10th July (Olympic Qualification Event*)


The top 36 ranked athletes from WC 1-4 will be invited to contest the World Cup Final