Modern pentathlete Kerenza Bryson knows that there's more to life than sport and medals.
The 26-year-old is a Maritime Troop Commander Reserve Officer in 165 Port and Maritime RLC Regiment, spending the hours she has spare when she's not training or working as a full-time doctor, supporting the British Army.
Bryson was talent spotted by the army during a modern pentathlon competition as a youngster and has since risen up the ranks to become a second Lieutenant in 2021.
Modern pentathlon takes its roots from military practice, created by founder of the modern Olympic Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin to simulate the experience of a 19th century cavalry soldier behind enemy lines.
And Bryson has only thrived when putting the sport and the job together.
"When I was younger, I went to a competition where someone basically head hunted me and said I could be really successful in the army and asked whether I had thought about it," she said.
"So I joined my University Officer Training Corps at Plymouth and I thought I'd give it a go and enjoyed the idea of long-term being a doctor in the army and travelling with a regiment.
"From there I decided to go to Sandhurst and become a reserve officer."
Despite her busy schedule, Bryson is passionate about committing to her role as a reserve officer and noted that the support she receives in balancing of her ambitions allows her to flourish in all areas.
She enjoys it so much, with that long-term goal of becoming a doctor in the army once she has retired from sport still very much in her mind.
"I still do work in the reserves now but just remotely and they're super supportive in helping me continue my sporting commitments," she added.
"I look at my life at the moment as a triad with my sport, medicine and army but they're all very separate.
"My goal long-term once I retire from sport is to combine my army and medicine hats and become a full-time army doctor."
Bryson went into Paris as the fifth ranked modern pentathlete in the world after winning world bronze in 2023 and crowning herself European champion just months before the Games.
After winning her semi-final in a new Olympic record of 1,402 points, it seemed that Bryson was on track for another podium finish but was sadly unable to replicate her performance in the final, finishing ninth overall.
Although the modern pentathlete noted it as a 'disappointing' performance, with hopes of becoming an Olympic medallist, Bryson admitted that she is keeping her mind on the positives after finally achieving her childhood dream of becoming an Olympian.
“Mixed emotions," she said in the aftermath. "I’m really disappointed in my performance because I came here to try and get a medal.
"With my performances this season and how I was feeling, I thought I was capable of getting one.
“But with modern pentathlon, pulling five things together on the same day, there’s always an element of luck and I had a few things (on the final day) and in the fencing that didn’t quite go to plan.
“I’m trying to be positive and remember I’m an Olympian, I’m a doctor and I’m an army officer, so I have other things going on and sometimes you have to remember there is more to life than sport and medals.”
Sportsbeat 2024