With just 49 days to go until the start of the London 2012 Olympics, The British Olympic Association (BOA) has announced today four athletes as officially selected to represent Team GB in Modern Pentathlon at the Games.
The athletes selected to Team GB today are:
Following a very competitive qualification period, during which eight British athletes exceeded the Olympic qualification standard, Team GB will field a full complement of two male and two female athletes in the modern pentathlon competition for the second successive Olympics.
Great Britain’s female modern pentathletes have an outstanding track record at the Olympic Games, having won four medals since the women’s event was added to the Olympic Programme at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Olympic debutants Mhairi Spence and Samantha Murray will be looking to continue Team GB’s proud record in the women’s competition. Britain’s highest ranked female Spence won World Championship gold this year, while Murray claimed the bronze medal. Both will be aiming to continue their fine form in London.
In the men’s competition Nick Woodbridge, currently ranked fifth in the world, and Sam Weale secured the two men’s places. Both will compete in their second successive Olympic Games, having made their debuts in Beijing in 2008. Weale recently became the first British man to win a European Championships medal.
The men’s competition takes place on 11th August, followed by the women’s competition a day later, meaning the women’s medals will be the last medals won at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The addition of the modern pentathletes brings the total number of athletes officially selected to Team GB for London 2012 to 182 across 15 sport disciplines: archery, athletics – marathon, badminton, boxing, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, synchronised swimming and table tennis.
The athletes were formally nominated to the BOA for selection to Team GB by Pentathlon GB, the representative body for modern pentathlon in the UK. The athletes were announced during a press conference at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich.
Team GB Chef de Mission Andy Hunt said:
Dominic Mahony, Team GB Modern Pentathlon Team Leader said:
Mhairi Spence said:
Samantha Murray said:
Nick Woodbridge said:
Sam Weale said: