Pentathlon GB performance director Jan Bartu admitted there were plenty of positives to take after Britain secured two top-20 finishes in the men’s final at the World Championships in Poland.
Joe Choong, competing at only his second senior international modern pentathlon event, placed 16th in Warsaw while Jamie Cooke, the 2011 world junior champion, came home in 20th.
Britain’s medal tally therefore remains at two, gold for Samantha Murray and team silver for Kate French and Freyja Prentice, but Bartu insisted Choong and Cooke’s efforts were noteworthy.
“It was a good day for us. It’s a big championships and a lot of good things happened for us, especially when you consider that Jamie is the oldest guy in the men’s team and he is only 23,” he said.
“Joe is clearly very talented and he is coming through very quickly. A top-16 finish at a World Championships is a really significant result for him.
“His skills are really good and he needs more experience and competition exposure to maximise his potential. Jamie expected a little more.
“He had to run flat out in the semis to qualify for the final and there wasn’t enough left. There is still a long way to go till the Games and he now has his winter preparation coming up.”
© Sportsbeat 2014