- 3 years ago
Women's Semi-final A
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00:02:20 >> So as mentioned, no riding will take place, but
00:02:23 those are the riding scores that will be taking place on Saturday's Super Final.
00:02:27 We're going to create detail later, of course, in the competition.
00:02:30 We then move over to the fencing bonus round with the one on one bouts,
00:02:33 which is where today's live coverage begins.
00:02:35 For the conclusion of the fencing action,
00:02:38 it's then over to the swimming pool for the 200 meter freestyle.
00:02:43 So we could see some quick times with plenty of points up for grabs in the pool.
00:02:47 We conclude with the ever dramatic laser run.
00:02:50 Five laps of the 600 meter circuits with the four laser shooting rounds where
00:02:54 the athletes have to shoot, of course, the five targets in order to progress past
00:02:58 the shooting range.
00:02:59 The first over the finish line, as always, is the winner.
00:03:02 This is the new format.
00:03:03 It's fast, it's frantic, and a new challenge for athletes to overcome.
00:03:07 Welcome one and all to Modern Pentathlon 2023.
00:03:12 So myself, James Anadarkis, and Egyptian athlete Mariam Amur joining us in
00:03:18 the commentary box.
00:03:19 Mariam, the drama is set for another fantastic Pentathlon World Cup here in
00:03:23 Sofia.
00:03:24 Yeah, I mean, this is the conclusion of four amazing World Cups we've had so far.
00:03:28 So, yeah, I'm excited to see what the athletes have in store right before this
00:03:33 World Cup final in Ankara, which is happening three weeks from now.
00:03:38 Yeah, World Cup final is, of course, the next, the conclusion of the World Cup.
00:03:41 Here we go then.
00:03:42 This is the action from the fencing ranking rounds.
00:03:47 And Yeba Sedapinieti is top of the pile.
00:03:49 This, of course, the fourth World Cup of the season.
00:03:51 It's easy to lose count, isn't it?
00:03:53 They fly by so quickly.
00:03:54 Twenty-five victories for Sedapinieti.
00:03:57 Jessica Valle, you can see there on your screen, she's had a pretty good run of
00:04:00 things with a score of 18 victories and 16 defeats.
00:04:05 You can see Elodie Clouvel was just sat on the sidelines there.
00:04:08 She picked up 23 victories.
00:04:10 She's had a good fencing ranking round.
00:04:12 Of course, the scores from the ranking round and semifinals carry through to the
00:04:16 final.
00:04:17 So, Samu Kim, you just saw on your screens there.
00:04:20 Twenty-two victories for her.
00:04:22 Let's just take a look at those scores.
00:04:24 So, those are, in fact, the scores of the mixed relay from the previous World Cup.
00:04:30 So, we will bring you those scores when we have them.
00:04:33 But we can confirm that Yeba Sedapinieti with 25 victories is in ridiculously good
00:04:39 form and I think potentially one of the early favorites, even for gold.
00:04:43 I mean, it's all about getting through to the final.
00:04:44 But Yeba with 25 victories is dangerous from this position, isn't she?
00:04:47 Yeah, I mean, she started further back in Ankara but managed to get her way up to
00:04:53 that gold medal position.
00:04:54 So, we're not ruling Yeba out for sure.
00:04:57 She had a bit of a disappointing fence in Budapest.
00:05:01 She did.
00:05:02 Yeah, she didn't make it into the final.
00:05:03 So, hopefully, today is the day for her.
00:05:06 It's obviously something she's been working on over the past couple of weeks.
00:05:09 It wasn't at her best in Ankara but then came into that event on the back.
00:05:13 Sorry, in Budapest but it came into that event on the back of a gold medal in
00:05:15 Ankara.
00:05:16 There you can see Blanka Bauer just sitting down and just taking a moment of thought.
00:05:21 She is in 17th place and will be starting a little bit further back than she would
00:05:25 have liked.
00:05:26 She was 15th in Budapest, 17th in Ankara.
00:05:28 Blanka Bauer is a quick runner but she's got her work cut out to get into the final
00:05:32 today, hasn't she, Mariam?
00:05:33 She does, yeah.
00:05:34 Do we think she's going to get into that final?
00:05:35 That's the question.
00:05:36 It could be difficult.
00:05:38 But then, if you remember correctly, we obviously had the challenges over the past
00:05:45 few weeks with athletes trying to get through semifinals and Blanka Bauer really was in
00:05:50 electric form in Cairo to get through to the final.
00:05:54 So who knows?
00:05:55 A good run in fencing, bonus round, will go a way towards helping her with that mission.
00:06:01 So our first battle will be Lucy Hlaváková from the Czech Republic taking on Blanka Bauer.
00:06:08 So you saw Blanka is just getting herself prepared.
00:06:12 There's Emma Witteker, a previous World Cup medalist, 2022 was a bronze medalist in the
00:06:17 first edition of the new format in Cairo last year.
00:06:21 Just a quick note as well that Janine Coleman has actually dropped out of the competition.
00:06:27 So Janine Coleman will not be competing.
00:06:30 That's a shame for Janine.
00:06:31 We actually saw her at breakfast this morning.
00:06:33 She looked in good spirit.
00:06:34 Yeah, I think it was an injury though.
00:06:36 But yeah, it's always disappointing to see an athlete drop out.
00:06:39 But that might be good news for the people.
00:06:42 Lowered the leaderboard at the moment.
00:06:45 So maybe Blanka Bauer.
00:06:47 Well, I mean, Janine's in 10th place at the moment, but she was in joint 10th place with
00:06:52 Charlie Follett, who's in ninth place.
00:06:54 So, yeah, I mean, it only goes to help your cause.
00:06:58 If you are trying to get yourself up the scoreboard, then that is one way of doing it.
00:07:04 Obviously, if athletes and head of you drop out, then it makes it a little bit easier.
00:07:07 But we wish Janine all the best and we hope to see her back very soon.
00:07:12 But here we go.
00:07:13 Getting underway with our first fencing bonus round bout.
00:07:16 It's Lucy Hlavačkova from the Czech Republic taking on Blanka Bauer.
00:07:21 Two points for victory.
00:07:24 And it's a chance now for athletes, isn't it, Mariam, to put a good little run together
00:07:27 and hopefully pick up as many new points as they can.
00:07:30 Yeah, I mean, they're two very young athletes, 18 years of age.
00:07:33 I mean, making their way in the senior scene is definitely a challenge, but they are.
00:07:39 Blanka Bauer is young and she's fired up and she's got that, you know, that youthful exuberance in her ability.
00:07:47 And let's have a look to see how she gets on in this first bout against Hlavačkova or Czech Republic.
00:07:53 And Bauer gets the touch and talks us through that move, Mariam.
00:07:56 Yeah, so basically Hlavačkova made a move forward with a what we call a marché
00:08:02 and Blanka Bauer took a step back and on to that hand with a defense.
00:08:08 Yes, beautiful by Blanka Bauer.
00:08:13 I believe was it in Budapest, she picked up a few extra points in the bonus round as well.
00:08:17 She was doing pretty well. I think she was on a streak.
00:08:19 So maybe we might see some of that action today.
00:08:24 So up next then is Mayan Oliver of Mexico.
00:08:29 Mayan was a gold medalist at the Pan American Senior Championships last year in Brazil
00:08:34 and is in 16th place overall, picked up 195 points in the ranking round,
00:08:42 which equates to 13 victories, 21 defeats.
00:08:48 So the calm before the storm, just poised now to take on Blanka Bauer,
00:08:53 who has that one victory to her name thus far.
00:08:56 So it's Bauer versus Oliver.
00:08:59 Lucy Hlavačkova has already been defeated by Bauer.
00:09:07 It seems to be a technical issue, but it should be.
00:09:09 You can hear the beeping, can't you? I'm not quite sure what's going on here.
00:09:12 Blanka Bauer is trying to keep her momentum going because of course,
00:09:17 fencing bonus round is much about momentum, isn't it?
00:09:19 And when you do have this pause, it can sometimes get in your head a little bit.
00:09:22 So she's hopping up and down on the spot, trying to make sure she is able to continue.
00:09:29 Here we go. They are underway then. Bauer on the left, Oliver on the right.
00:09:34 Bauer already with that one victory, five seconds into the bout.
00:09:37 Priority is with Oliver. The time is down to zero. Oliver will get that win.
00:09:42 So flush from Bauer, but no touch. Bauer has to be on the attack at this point.
00:09:48 If that cocktail is down, Maja and Oliver will get the point.
00:09:53 17 seconds still to go into the final 15. Bauer versus Oliver and Oliver gets the touch.
00:09:59 Yeah, I get it. She does go in too deep and Maja and Oliver takes advantage of that
00:10:04 with a nice body hit there. So Maja and Oliver, the younger of the Oliver sisters,
00:10:10 both of them are competing in the semifinal eight.
00:10:12 So are we going to see some sibling rivalry for this top nine?
00:10:18 Bauer is in sixth place overall. Maja would like to pick up a nice little run here.
00:10:25 Out next is Aositang from China. It's good to see Tang.
00:10:31 She is a young up and coming athlete, was a gold medalist in Team Relay Women in the Asia-Oceania
00:10:38 Youth Championships in 2019, but is new on the senior circuit
00:10:43 and is now up against the experienced Maja and Oliver, who already has one victory to her name.
00:10:49 Ten seconds have already passed into the final 20.
00:10:54 Tang with the flush forward, but there was no touch.
00:10:59 So we're back on the way. Halfway through this bout now.
00:11:05 Oliver just being a little bit more cautious here.
00:11:08 The priority is with Tang so she can allow the clock to tick down.
00:11:12 That is a touch for Tang. Oh, but the judge rules no touch.
00:11:19 So five seconds still to go. No touch called by the judge.
00:11:23 Oliver versus Tang. It's locked on through. This is cagey.
00:11:29 Oliver has to get a touch now in this final three seconds.
00:11:33 She's got to continue this run and Tang gets it.
00:11:35 Tucked there from Tang.
00:11:37 Her point does seem a bit off though, because the two flushes she had
00:11:42 were, I would say, not defended by Maja and Oliver, even though she didn't get the touch.
00:11:48 So you do question precision at this point.
00:11:52 So up next is Jintaro Venkateshi, who she's got some work to do.
00:11:58 Let's make no mistake about it. She's currently in 14th, lifted to 13th with Janine Coleman's
00:12:03 withdrawal from the competition. I would back Jintaro to get into the final.
00:12:08 Yeah, absolutely. We've seen her come from worse.
00:12:10 She got, I think she started 14th in Budapest and came up to fifth.
00:12:14 Yeah, she was a bronze medalist in Budapest in 2021.
00:12:18 Seventh at the previous Olympics in Tokyo.
00:12:21 Daniel Karskaitis gets the touch and that is a useful extra couple of points for the Lithuanian,
00:12:28 who has Laura Azadalskaitis to look up to.
00:12:32 Obviously, one of the most experienced athletes out there.
00:12:35 We'll see her a little bit later as well.
00:12:36 She is an Olympic gold and Olympic silver medalist.
00:12:39 And her teammate Jintaro will be looking to catch her.
00:12:43 She's currently 30 points behind her.
00:12:45 The gap though between 14th and ninth place is just 10 points.
00:12:50 So there is a lot that can change over the next 90, well, less than 90 minutes, really, isn't it?
00:12:58 This competition takes place over, well, 90 minute duration.
00:13:02 That's including all time on piste.
00:13:04 So with no riding today, I would say we're looking at less than an hour left of competition.
00:13:09 But here we go.
00:13:11 Next up, it is Kamila Reti of Hungary, a silver medalist last year in Ankara World Cup 4.
00:13:19 Venkauskaitis versus Reti.
00:13:21 Reti has had some disappointment over the course of this season,
00:13:25 having had a mishap with the horse in Ankara.
00:13:28 And Reti gets the touch.
00:13:30 And Reti again.
00:13:31 This could be, do you know what?
00:13:32 This is shaping up to be a very, very exciting semifinal,
00:13:35 because you've got some big names further down, some fast runners,
00:13:38 the likes of Kamila Reti, the likes of Emma Whittaker,
00:13:40 who we're going to see on the bonus fencing round stage.
00:13:42 The like of Jintaro, Venkauskaitis.
00:13:45 Maya and Oliver is a quick runner as well.
00:13:46 Blanka Bauer is a quick runner.
00:13:48 Only 20 seconds separate ninth and 17th.
00:13:51 Already the drama is starting to pan out,
00:13:54 because we have got some quick runners further down.
00:13:58 I've got no idea who qualifies for this final.
00:14:00 Yeah, to be honest, I mean, the top nine already seem to be in good form.
00:14:04 So I'm not, I can't see any of them dropping out at this point.
00:14:07 And people at the bottom as well are really good runners.
00:14:09 So it's going to be an exciting race for sure.
00:14:11 But we have Emma Whittaker on the run now.
00:14:13 Emma Whittaker versus Kamila Reti now.
00:14:14 Whittaker looking to pick up those extra couple of points.
00:14:17 She does. So Whittaker picks up two extra points.
00:14:19 And you feel at this point, given that no one's been on a big run,
00:14:23 given how tight everything is,
00:14:25 it is pretty important to get a victory on the fencing bonus round stage.
00:14:29 Now you need those extra two points to make sure you don't slip back further.
00:14:33 It becomes almost a four pointer, doesn't it?
00:14:35 Because if the athlete ahead of you picks up to a new dome,
00:14:37 then that's a four point difference.
00:14:39 That starts to become serious points.
00:14:40 So Emma Whittaker makes sure she gets her points.
00:14:43 In fact, everybody has picked up a victory apart from poor Lucy Klovakova of Czech Republic,
00:14:49 who still, by the way, is only 20 seconds behind ninth place.
00:14:53 So swimming will, of course, mix things up.
00:14:55 We'll have the swimming discipline next.
00:14:57 But you can see Emma Whittaker has that one victory.
00:14:59 Yufai Bian of China is next on the stage.
00:15:03 Gold medalist in mixed relay in Hungary 2019.
00:15:07 Yeah, with her French grip there, looking to get that touch from afar.
00:15:12 But Emma Whittaker with a beautiful counter parry and a lunge into Bian Yufai,
00:15:20 picking up her second point thus far.
00:15:22 The useful points there for Emma Whittaker.
00:15:24 She's now just a point behind her teammates, Charlie Follett.
00:15:27 So this will be interesting, actually.
00:15:29 Whittaker versus Follett. It's an all British battle.
00:15:31 Follett is the current European champion.
00:15:34 Whittaker, a bronze medalist in Cairo last year.
00:15:38 These two athletes, I feel, are closing in on becoming regulars inside that top ten.
00:15:45 They've got the inspiration of British gold medalist,
00:15:48 Kate French, still in and around the British team.
00:15:54 Great Britain have only won one medal this whole season,
00:15:58 and that was a mixed relay bronze.
00:16:01 But looking to pick up a few more. It's not actually Janine Coleman.
00:16:04 It is Charlie Follett on the left versus Emma Whittaker.
00:16:07 Janine Coleman has dropped out of the competition,
00:16:09 and Whittaker makes it three victories.
00:16:12 So no extra victory for Follett, who now drops down into tenth place.
00:16:18 So Whittaker defeats her teammate Follett.
00:16:33 That would have been extra tasty for Whittaker, wouldn't it?
00:16:36 Beating your teammate, going up into ninth place.
00:16:39 It boosts your confidence and it boosts your position, most importantly.
00:16:44 So Joanna Maria Jogosu from Estonia is up next, Mariam.
00:16:53 She was second at the European and 24 Championships in Poland last year.
00:16:57 Gold at the Junior Baltic Cup in 2022.
00:17:00 And is in a good position at the moment, it has to be said.
00:17:03 Yeah, I mean, she's a pretty average, I'd say good runner even.
00:17:08 So she might have a chance of getting in to her first ever final.
00:17:13 Whittaker is climbing the ladder. Three victories to her name so far.
00:17:16 Six extra points.
00:17:19 18 seconds left on the clock.
00:17:21 No, the touch, as it's being called, Whittaker's victory.
00:17:25 We're just getting clarification from that.
00:17:28 Yeah, so Emma Whittaker with the win.
00:17:30 Emma with number four. My goodness, me.
00:17:33 Some serious points right now.
00:17:34 This is really working to Emma Whittaker's favor, who is now closing in on Jogosu.
00:17:40 She was on 205 points.
00:17:43 She's now on 213. One more win for Whittaker and she moves up into eighth place.
00:17:48 So welcome back to the women's individual scene.
00:17:58 Annika Zillikens, it's her first appearance since Tokyo 2020.
00:18:03 She was obviously taking part in mixed relay in Budapest,
00:18:07 but this is the first time we've seen her on the fencing bonus round stage in individuals.
00:18:11 Annika Zillikens versus Emma Whittaker.
00:18:13 Annika Zillikens, a multiple World Cup medalist, taking on the younger
00:18:19 Emma Whittaker of Great Britain, Germany versus Great Britain.
00:18:21 Zillikens versus Whittaker.
00:18:24 It's a bit of a scrap in the middle there and Whittaker gets the touch and makes it five victories.
00:18:30 So it's a return to UIPM TV for Annika Zillikens and we welcome her back.
00:18:36 Almost looks sorry there, Emma Whittaker.
00:18:38 That was a bit scrappy from her, but her lunges seem to be doing the trick here this morning.
00:18:42 Be interesting to see if Zillikens can find a way to qualify for the World Cup final.
00:18:47 This could just be a one off event for her this year if she doesn't qualify for World Cup final.
00:18:52 She was a silver medalist in World Cup final in 2021 and since
00:18:56 gone away and had a baby and is now back on the World Cup scene.
00:19:01 There's a lot of attention on Annika Zillikens.
00:19:04 So she has done a great job to get herself into this position.
00:19:09 Up next, it is Catherine Myron Oliver.
00:19:12 We saw her sister, Mayan Oliver.
00:19:14 These two are sisters off, but on the piece, they would be fierce competitors.
00:19:20 The younger of the two Oliver sisters, Pan American Junior Champion in 2022.
00:19:23 She's got to try and defeat Emma Whittaker now, who is on 10 extra points after those five wins.
00:19:28 Whittaker is on fire, but Catherine Myron Oliver
00:19:32 finally stops that run and Emma Whittaker can hold her head up high because that was an
00:19:37 incredible run from the British athlete who has moved up now into joint eighth place.
00:19:43 But good win that from Catherine.
00:19:45 Yeah, counter pair with an eight there and into the chest of Emma Whittaker.
00:19:50 Kind of expected, I mean, Emma Whittaker got four touches the same way, lunge forward.
00:19:55 So maybe she took advantage of that and just watched the bouts before her.
00:20:00 London 2012 gold medalist, Tokyo 2020 silver medalist,
00:20:06 Laura Asdauskaiti makes her way to the piece.
00:20:10 The highest ranked Lithuanian athlete in this semifinal.
00:20:13 We're in to the top five.
00:20:16 Emma Whittaker has put a run of five victories together, which pretty much gives her
00:20:25 victory of this fencing bonus round so far.
00:20:28 But there are still big points up for grabs and there will still be athletes looking over their shoulders
00:20:33 nervously knowing that they have to get inside that top nine to secure a position for tomorrow's final.
00:20:42 So far, we have only had one athlete take more than one victory and that was Whittaker.
00:20:49 Catherine Meyer and Oliver with one victory now.
00:20:52 But this has been very, very useful fencing bonus round for Emma Whittaker, hasn't it?
00:20:59 Yeah, I mean, picking up some points is crucial at this point.
00:21:04 Just ten seconds separating the bottom nine athletes.
00:21:09 So it's going to be interesting to see how this carries on to the laser arm.
00:21:13 But we are underway. Laura Asdauskaiti looking for her first touch here.
00:21:19 Catherine Meyer and Oliver defending her blade.
00:21:22 But Laura Asdauskaiti goes on low.
00:21:26 Catherine Meyer goes on low.
00:21:29 So the Olympic two time Olympic medalist has got a challenge here.
00:21:34 But she has priority and it's the double touch with three seconds to go.
00:21:43 Her distance is great and that's why it was double touch.
00:21:48 But two seconds to go and Laura Asdauskaiti gets that touch.
00:21:52 Took a step back. Catherine Meyer and Oliver did that flesh.
00:21:55 But Asdauskaiti was able to defend herself with that step backwards and a straight touch.
00:22:02 Touch in terms, I think, comes to play.
00:22:04 I mean, she's been on the field for a very long time now.
00:22:08 And yeah, it's just a joy to watch these athletes compete and fence and showcase their skill set.
00:22:15 Well, Laura Asdauskaiti at 39 years of age is our oldest and most experienced athlete
00:22:20 and very much enjoys going toe to toe with some of the younger athletes.
00:22:24 And as you can see, in fifth place, she is very much at the top end of this competition.
00:22:30 She's got Maria Orteza up next.
00:22:33 And Maria Orteza has put together some pretty consistent results this season.
00:22:37 Seventh in Ankara last week, eighth in Cairo.
00:22:40 She was fifth in Budapest last year, a gold medalist in Sofia in 2021 and in 2019.
00:22:47 Can Maria Orteza keep this good run in Bulgaria going?
00:22:51 And it's a double touch.
00:22:53 Maria Orteza is a really strong fencer as well.
00:22:56 Can that, is that enough to beat Laura Asdauskaiti?
00:23:01 We're going to see.
00:23:02 Ten seconds, 19 seconds, sorry, on the clock.
00:23:05 Priority for Maria Orteza.
00:23:08 15 seconds still to go then.
00:23:09 Orteza versus Asdauskaiti.
00:23:12 Orteza with the priority.
00:23:14 Asdauskaiti already with the victory to her name.
00:23:16 Into the final five.
00:23:17 The flesh forward from Asdauskaiti's defender.
00:23:20 Orteza, double touch.
00:23:22 A bit of a tight distance there.
00:23:23 Five seconds still to go.
00:23:25 Here we go.
00:23:26 Into that final five.
00:23:28 Orteza and Asdauskaiti again with the double touch.
00:23:32 Three still to go.
00:23:33 Asdauskaiti needs to commit herself now.
00:23:35 I feel that the advantage is definitely with Orteza here,
00:23:39 who can either afford to take a step back or can anticipate the attack from Asdauskaiti.
00:23:44 I think she's going to duck.
00:23:45 You think she's going to duck?
00:23:46 I think she might duck.
00:23:47 I mean, Laura Asdauskaiti seems to be going for that flesh.
00:23:50 Predictions in place then from Maria.
00:23:52 Here we go.
00:23:53 And she's gone for the attack with .7 of a second left.
00:23:57 We know what's going to come here.
00:23:58 And we're certainly going to be a flesh from Asdauskaiti.
00:24:10 Orteza will, I'm sure, just step back here.
00:24:12 Less than a second to go.
00:24:14 You feel this is Orteza's in the bag.
00:24:16 We're underway.
00:24:18 And Orteza does actually get the touch in the end.
00:24:21 I think it will tip down to zero.
00:24:23 So priority rule kicked in.
00:24:24 So it is Orteza who picks a victory.
00:24:26 And this is actually quite a bizarre fencing bonus round, Marion,
00:24:29 because we've only had one athlete pick up more than one victory, Emma Whittaker.
00:24:33 So Emma Whittaker took out all around her.
00:24:36 And other than that, Bauer, Oliver, Tang, Van Karskaiti, Reti, Oliver, Asdauskaiti and Orteza
00:24:44 have all picked up one victory.
00:24:45 Whittaker's picked up ten.
00:24:47 Make no mistake about it, this is Emma Whittaker's bonus round.
00:24:50 Absolutely.
00:24:52 So we're into our top two athletes.
00:24:55 So this bonus round is almost done.
00:24:58 Quick bonus round.
00:24:59 Yes, flown by this, hasn't it?
00:25:02 And we move pretty swiftly on to the pool.
00:25:04 Just a ten-minute gap between fencing and swimming.
00:25:12 So it's Haiyan Zhang from Korea next.
00:25:16 We've got two Korean athletes inside that top three.
00:25:19 Looking to prevent...
00:25:24 Orteza from going a step further and Zhang does get the touch.
00:25:29 Beautiful flush from Zhang.
00:25:31 I'm going to see it in the replay now, it was seven seconds on the clock.
00:25:35 But she did secure that attack.
00:25:40 Yes.
00:25:41 So it goes in the outside line and in with a flush.
00:25:47 So pretty much the field is level except for our one outstanding winner,
00:25:52 Emma Whittaker, with five extra victories, which means ten extra points.
00:25:57 Yes, just two more chances for an athlete to pick up two victories.
00:26:01 But either way, Emma Whittaker has dominated this fencing bonus round
00:26:05 with those five victories.
00:26:06 Otherwise it has been completely level.
00:26:08 It's not often you'll see this.
00:26:10 Sun Woo Kim versus Haiyan Zhang.
00:26:12 It's an all-Korean battle here on the fencing bonus round stage.
00:26:16 Sun Woo Kim was a World Cup final tenth place finisher in 2023.
00:26:22 Kim and Zhang will know each other's styles well.
00:26:25 No touch there, 11 seconds on the clock.
00:26:28 These athletes train together all the time.
00:26:31 So it's going to be difficult to kind of predict who gets that touch.
00:26:35 Adds an extra level of intrigue when you've got teammates up against each other.
00:26:38 We're into the final five and a half seconds of this bout.
00:26:43 Still no touch. Zhang with that extra victory to her name so far.
00:26:47 Kim with the priority, using that priority well,
00:26:50 just enticing her opponent forward.
00:26:52 And Zhang does get the touch with just two seconds left on the clock,
00:26:55 becoming only the second athlete in this fencing bonus round
00:26:58 to get more than one victory.
00:27:00 Useful points that for Zhang.
00:27:02 She moves on to 2-4-4.
00:27:04 She's clear in second place and victory over Elodie Cluvel
00:27:06 would put her out and out in front.
00:27:09 So a big bout. There's a chance for Cluvel to extend her lead at the top though.
00:27:12 If she picked up this victory, it would be four points for Cluvel.
00:27:15 Yeah, I mean, Kim Sunwoo got a little bit relaxed there.
00:27:20 I think she thought that the time was going to tick down,
00:27:23 but Haiyan Zhang just took that touch by surprise.
00:27:29 So Haiyan Zhang with two wins so far.
00:27:32 And we have our last athlete on the piece, Elodie Cluvel,
00:27:36 who came second overall in the fencing ranking round.
00:27:39 Elodie Cluvel versus Zhang then. This is the final bout.
00:27:42 This were four points for Cluvel.
00:27:44 It would be six points that Zhang would take if she is to get past Cluvel.
00:27:49 And in the second, I think she'll get an extra point,
00:27:50 but Cluvel does get the touch.
00:27:52 And that is an extra four points for Cluvel.
00:27:55 That could be very useful,
00:27:56 given that Cluvel is such a quick swimmer as well.
00:28:00 I would say that is Cluvel safely through to the final,
00:28:02 given that lead that she now has.
00:28:04 She moves on to 249 points.
00:28:06 Well done to Elodie Cluvel.
00:28:07 But the battle for ninth place is what we're focusing on here in semifinals day.
00:28:12 And that has really, really heated up.
00:28:15 Not much change, actually, to be honest with you,
00:28:17 in terms of the scoreboard,
00:28:19 because most of those athletes have either picked up a couple of points or none at all.
00:28:23 Emma Whittaker, on the other hand, picked up ten extra points.
00:28:26 She was in 12th place and has shot up the rankings.
00:28:30 She is now in joint eighth.
00:28:31 We'll see, hopefully now, confirmation of that.
00:28:34 In fact, Whittaker is yet joint eighth.
00:28:36 You can see there in ninth place overall.
00:28:39 So Cluvel on 249 points, you would imagine,
00:28:42 will be safely through to the final.
00:28:44 That is the gap over her and Emma Whittaker.
00:28:46 And bearing in mind, Cluvel is such a quick swimmer.
00:28:48 Cluvel could be dangerous in this competition.
00:28:50 Bearing in mind, those rank amount points carry through to the final.
00:28:52 Charlie Follett in tenth place.
00:28:54 Janine Coleman has dropped out of the competition.
00:28:56 Then we have the rest of the athletes, the chasing pack.
00:28:59 It's all very tight.
00:29:00 Yufai Bian, Camilla Reti, Jintare, Van Kalsgaardt,
00:29:04 Olsitang, Majan Oliver, Blanka Bauer and Lucy Hlaváková of the Czech Republic.
00:29:10 And just 20 points separates ninth place,
00:29:15 sorry, tenth place and eighteenth place.
00:29:19 Swimming is about to take place in a few moments time.
00:29:23 But before we move over to the swim,
00:29:25 let's take a look at the fencing highlights.
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00:30:53 Welcome back to Sofia, Bulgaria for the continuation of World Cup 4
00:31:02 here in the 2023 Pentathlon season.
00:31:06 Fencing bonus round is done and dusted.
00:31:11 Props to Emma Wisko who picked up 10 extra points
00:31:14 and has shot up those scoreboards.
00:31:17 And we will take a look as the competition goes by
00:31:19 how that could make a difference.
00:31:21 We are done and dusted with the fencing bonus round.
00:31:24 We are not too far away from moving away from the swimming action.
00:31:28 But before we do that, let's just take a look at how the competition does then move
00:31:32 from the fencing bonus round to the swimming pool.
00:31:36 So there you can see the swimming pool, 200m freestyle.
00:31:41 2 minutes 30 would get you 250 points.
00:31:46 And of course this is the chance for the quick swimmers in the pool
00:31:51 to make up some extra points.
00:31:53 And there is the swimming pool.
00:31:55 That is where the athletes will be competing in their short while's time.
00:31:58 It looks very calm at the moment, doesn't it?
00:32:00 But the entourage are moving over from the fencing bonus round to the swimming pool.
00:32:05 And you feel from this position, Elodie Cluvel, who is such a quick swimmer,
00:32:09 given that she has such a good advantage in first place.
00:32:13 Probably is through to the final, I would say at this point.
00:32:15 I mean, considering that the shooting goes well.
00:32:18 But I think she has a sizable lead, even if she does mess up a bit.
00:32:22 I think she's still got to be in Saturday's final easily.
00:32:25 Well, she's 35 points ahead of 10th place at the moment.
00:32:29 So given that, I think that will increase by at least 10 points from the swimming.
00:32:34 Probably more, I think.
00:32:36 Yeah, Cluvel is probably through.
00:32:37 I'd say Sunwoo Kim is looking pretty healthy as is Hwang Yang.
00:32:41 Or Taser, could come under a little bit of pressure.
00:32:44 She's a quick swimmer, Taser as well.
00:32:46 Laura Asadar is going to be dropping down a bit because she doesn't have the fastest swim.
00:32:52 She's not the fastest swimmer, but she's such a quick laser runner
00:32:54 that you'd imagine that those top five should make it through.
00:32:57 Catherine Marr and Oliver, she's a very quick laser runner.
00:33:00 Again, could be dangerous.
00:33:02 Could be one to watch.
00:33:03 Annika Zillikins is a bit of an unknown quantity at the moment.
00:33:06 It has to be said, she's had a fantastic event so far.
00:33:08 But we'll have to see where her fitness levels are up.
00:33:10 She is competing in her first World Cup since coming back from Tokyo.
00:33:15 Yeah, from Tokyo Olympics.
00:33:17 I said there's top seven.
00:33:18 You can see her daughter.
00:33:19 Oh, there we can see.
00:33:20 Oh, there she is with her daughter.
00:33:21 And that is what it takes.
00:33:23 Yeah, Annika's daughter for us becoming the mascot.
00:33:26 Pentathlon here.
00:33:28 And that is a little insight into the world of pentathlon.
00:33:32 And there is Annika just going over to see her daughter.
00:33:35 And smiliest, happiest baby.
00:33:38 And it's wonderful to see Annika's daughter with her mother.
00:33:43 Husband Christian is here as well.
00:33:47 He's qualified for the semifinals.
00:33:48 So we'll see him in action tomorrow.
00:33:50 Nice family portrait, though.
00:33:51 Absolutely.
00:33:52 I think it's nice to see the other side of the unrelated sports side of the athletes.
00:33:57 Because obviously they are human beings and they do have different sides to their life.
00:34:06 And family life is a big thing.
00:34:08 And I think that Annika and her husband are just doing it beautifully.
00:34:12 Parenting beautifully.
00:34:15 And just having fun with it.
00:34:18 Yeah, that's exactly it.
00:34:20 And a big smile on Annika's face.
00:34:23 I mean, it must be another challenge for athletes to overcome, isn't it?
00:34:27 Having a child with you in the hotel.
00:34:29 Yeah, well we --
00:34:30 Having Christian have to take it in turns.
00:34:31 Yeah, we talked to her about that yesterday actually in the hotel.
00:34:34 And she said that she had to bring her mom and sister to take care of the baby.
00:34:37 Well, they were both competing.
00:34:39 So it's definitely a challenge.
00:34:40 The job of a mother never ends.
00:34:42 Yeah, absolutely.
00:34:43 And a father as well.
00:34:44 It's a lifetime commitment.
00:34:47 Annika's mom probably thought she was past all this.
00:34:50 But here she is looking after the baby whilst son-in-law and daughter compete at the World Cup here in Sofia.
00:34:57 And again, that just adds to the intensity of, you know, not only have you got to bring all your equipment out,
00:35:04 you've got to bring the baby stuff out as well.
00:35:06 She's juggling a lot.
00:35:08 And nothing but respect for what Annika has achieved and what Christian is doing as well.
00:35:14 So, fantastic parents, fantastic athletes, and we wish them all the best.
00:35:19 So, we are building up to the starts of this swim.
00:35:26 We have three heats.
00:35:29 Of course, they are -- the athletes are separated into their heats according to the fencing results.
00:35:36 Yes, the fencing results are combined in terms of basically the live scoring so far determine where the athletes are.
00:35:43 So, Janine Coleman, who has dropped out of this competition, would be bottom, having not competed really now.
00:35:49 So, she's out basically.
00:35:51 So, we'll only have five swimmers in the first swimming heat.
00:35:54 Lucy Flavakova is in last place.
00:35:57 So, she'll be first out in heat one.
00:36:02 And then, of course, we'll have Elodie Clivel, who is in first place, who will be out last in heat three.
00:36:09 So, we're just building up then to the starts of the swimming.
00:36:13 So, that then is heat one.
00:36:15 Lucy Flavakova, Blanka Bauer in the Hungarian training suit.
00:36:21 And you can see Maya and Oliver there in the Mexican swim cap.
00:36:27 And this competition just flies by.
00:36:29 I mean, these athletes were just on the bonus round, and now they have to get into their swimsuits and ready for that swim.
00:36:35 Such an intense competition all round.
00:36:40 But that is the challenge for these athletes.
00:36:44 Yeah, there's lots to keep them on their toes, as mentioned.
00:36:52 So, we are building up to the start of swimming heat number one, one of three swimming heats.
00:37:00 There is the pool, the calm before the storm.
00:37:05 We're just waiting for the officials to make their way out.
00:37:08 It is a 50-meter pool, so different from Budapest.
00:37:11 I think we're going to be seeing a bit slower times.
00:37:15 But again, it is on everybody, so the field will be level.
00:37:21 Do the athletes prefer the 50-meter pool or the 25-meter pool?
00:37:24 You know what?
00:37:25 I think it's up to preference and up to how good of a swimmer you are.
00:37:30 Because in a 25-meter pool, you can take advantage of the turns, you can take advantage of your streamline, all that stuff.
00:37:37 But if you have a weak turn or a weak streamline, then you'd much prefer the 50-meter pool, as there are less of them.
00:37:44 So, it really depends.
00:37:48 It depends on the individual athletes, I'm guessing.
00:37:50 Yeah.
00:37:51 So, these are the officials and judges about to make their way onto the pool.
00:37:58 So, if you are just tuning in, welcome to the live broadcast.
00:38:08 We are just building up to the first of the three swimming heats.
00:38:12 And the officials are making their way out.
00:38:15 And then we will be underway and we will introduce the athletes one by one.
00:38:18 As they make their way out onto the course.
00:38:21 So, here we go.
00:38:31 The officials are in place.
00:38:34 We have five athletes for this heat number one of the semi-final.
00:38:43 Takes a little bit of time to get this up and running.
00:38:48 We do promise we will have the competition in a moment.
00:38:51 These are the athletes taking part in the swimming heat.
00:38:53 One, Gintero Vankascati, Alcide Tang, Mayan Oliver, Blanka Bauer, Lucy Klavakova and Janine Coleman have dropped out of the competition.
00:39:03 So, we won't be seeing Janine.
00:39:06 We wish her the best of luck for whatever reason it is that she has dropped out.
00:39:11 So, it is actually the highest ranked athlete that will make her way out first.
00:39:20 In this case, it is Gintai.
00:39:23 And then Vankascati, who was fifth in Budapest just a couple of weeks ago now.
00:39:32 Bronze medalist in Budapest in 2021.
00:39:34 Seventh at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
00:39:37 Alcide Tang, gold medalist in the Team Relay Women Asia Oceania Youth Championships in 2019.
00:39:45 She is her first senior final, uh, semi-final.
00:39:49 So, yeah, exciting things for her.
00:39:54 And in lane number three is Mayan Oliver, the older of the two Oliver sisters in this semi-final lane.
00:40:01 She was a gold medalist at the Pan American Senior Championships last year in Brazil, as Mayan said, the older of the two sisters.
00:40:09 Blanka Bauer making her way out now in lane four.
00:40:14 Blanka Bauer is 15th in Budapest, 17th in Cairo.
00:40:18 Starts the year in very good form actually with a seventh place finish at the Hungarian Indoors.
00:40:23 So Blanka Bauer is really a young up-and-coming athlete who is in superb form and just improving event on events.
00:40:35 Can she make the final? We'll find out soon.
00:40:38 Next up, Lucy Blagojevacova of the Czech Republic.
00:40:42 Just 18 years of age, was fourth at the Budapest Indoors, fourth at the Junior World Championships last year.
00:40:48 Gold at the Youth World Championships last year as well.
00:40:51 So Lucy is again one of these up-and-coming athletes breaking through to the senior scene.
00:40:56 And could we see some of these younger athletes doing what Michelle Guges did in terms of breaking through and, you know, taking the world by storm?
00:41:05 Yeah, I mean, they have the idols to prove it.
00:41:09 I mean, Seralta Kovacs, Tamara Alexeyev.
00:41:15 Yeah, and they're just following in their footsteps.
00:41:17 Well, interestingly, we saw Seralta in Budapest. She came to visit and I did mention to her, "Have you retired now?"
00:41:23 She says, "Well, I'm starting to get a little bit of a... I'm missing it a little bit. I'm starting to get those jitters."
00:41:28 So who knows?
00:41:29 It is hard to stay away from pentathlon when you've been doing it for that long.
00:41:33 Yeah, when you see the competitions, you start to get a little itchy feet and want to get back into things.
00:41:40 So finally, I think we're about to start with Swimming Heat 1.
00:41:44 There's a bit of a pause between the end of the fencing and the start of the swimming.
00:41:50 Here we go then. About to get underway with this swim.
00:41:56 Slow and steady wins the race.
00:41:59 They will not be slow and steady when this race gets underway.
00:42:10 So we're calm, but the athletes are probably feeling the nerves by now, tension.
00:42:17 And what's interesting about swimming is the athletes don't get that warm-up time.
00:42:21 So the second they hit the pool, that is the first experience they have in the water.
00:42:27 Some athletes actually choose to warm up in the pool in the hour they are allotted before the fencing bonus round for warm-up.
00:42:36 But yes, we are about underway with this first heat of semi-final A.
00:42:40 So semi-final A, swimming about to get underway. And we are go.
00:42:45 Swimming Heat 1 has started.
00:42:48 It will be four laps of this Olympic-sized swimming pool, 50-meter pool.
00:42:53 And you can see Mexican, Miron Oliver, who will be looking to try and get inside that top three.
00:43:03 No Janine Coleman in this heat, so it is just five athletes competing for those positions.
00:43:09 It's the first time this season we've had a 50-meter pool actually.
00:43:13 It's traditional here in Bulgaria in this venue.
00:43:16 So there's the turn at the first 50 meters.
00:43:19 So Blanka Bauer, Lucy Lovakova are side-by-side at the moment.
00:43:25 We're expecting Blanka to be a bit faster.
00:43:29 Probably the fastest of this heat.
00:43:33 Strohkreuz is absolutely beautiful.
00:43:36 Again, we were talking about this in the last World Cup.
00:43:39 She's adopting a sort of galloping style where she takes her breath from one side only.
00:43:45 And in Bauer's case, it is her left.
00:43:48 And she will be the first turning onto this wall.
00:43:53 100 meters to go.
00:43:55 So at the halfway stage of this first swimming heat, Blanka Bauer is predicted to be...
00:44:02 That's a quick, actually, 100-meter time. I mean, 103.
00:44:05 I'm not sure that was precise.
00:44:08 I think it stopped a little bit before then, I think.
00:44:10 But we will find out.
00:44:12 Just settling into our rhythm here in this World Cup.
00:44:16 This is a moving circus, essentially, isn't it?
00:44:20 The cameras as well as the athletes do.
00:44:23 Her stroke rate is lagging a bit now.
00:44:26 Here we go. Final 50 meters then.
00:44:28 So it is just four lengths of this pool.
00:44:30 And we are now in the final 50 meters.
00:44:33 And we can see it is still...
00:44:35 Blanka Bauer, I think, is leading this race.
00:44:39 It is now a final sprint for the final few meters of this race.
00:44:43 We're into around the last 50 meters.
00:44:45 And it's now a race against the clock.
00:44:47 You can see the clock in the bottom right hand.
00:44:49 I'm predicting a 2.18.
00:44:51 Yeah, I think you're probably not far off with that.
00:44:53 Blanka Bauer is headed to 2.19,
00:44:55 which is her best score over the past 12 months.
00:44:58 Can she get below that?
00:44:59 It's going to be very close indeed.
00:45:01 I think it's going to be just over that prediction from Mariam.
00:45:03 It's a 2.20.91.
00:45:05 A little bit slower there from Blanka Bauer.
00:45:07 Not a bad time at all.
00:45:09 In second place, it is Venkauskaiti, five seconds further back.
00:45:12 And Klovakova comes home in third place.
00:45:15 So good result that from Blanka Bauer,
00:45:17 who sets the timed beat of 2.20 so far.
00:45:22 Let's not forget the 2.19 that she set before
00:45:27 could have been in a 25 meter pool.
00:45:29 So this essentially could be an even quicker swim.
00:45:31 Well, she's already gained 10 seconds over Jintaera Venkauskaiti,
00:45:36 who is definitely competition for that final qualifying spot.
00:45:40 It's all about getting inside that top nine.
00:45:42 Blanka Bauer is a quick laser runner,
00:45:44 that's a useful score for her.
00:45:47 One heat down, two to go.
00:45:50 So confirmation then of the results.
00:46:01 And you can see Bauer with a 4.61,
00:46:04 Venkauskaiti on a 4.59.
00:46:07 So it's actually 12 extra points that Bauer has picked up over Venkauskaiti.
00:46:13 And it'll be interesting to see how that score
00:46:17 sets her against the rest of the pack.
00:46:19 Janine Coleman did not start.
00:46:21 She has been removed from this competition because of an injury, we believe.
00:46:25 So we wish Janine the best.
00:46:27 And we look ahead now to Swimming Heat 2.
00:46:30 Anna Kazilikans in lane one, Emma Wysko in lane two,
00:46:33 Joanna Maria Jogosu in lane three,
00:46:35 Charlie Follett in lane four,
00:46:36 Yufai Bian in lane five, Camilla Reti in lane six.
00:46:42 So this then is the middle pack of the semifinals so far.
00:46:46 The middle six athletes.
00:46:49 Anna Kazilikans getting her first taste of
00:46:53 women's individual swimming action on the World Cup circuit
00:46:56 since Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
00:46:59 We welcome Anna back.
00:47:01 And we'll, I'm sure, be happy to have made it through to the semifinal,
00:47:06 but without doubt, we'll be eyeing a place in Super Saturday's finals.
00:47:11 Her first event since Tokyo Olympics.
00:47:13 She was a silver medalist in World Cup final in 2021.
00:47:16 Gold medalist in mixed relay in World Cup final in that same year.
00:47:20 And that was alongside Anna Kazilikans, I believe.
00:47:22 And we say that was correct.
00:47:23 And she was a bronze medalist at World Cup final in 2019.
00:47:27 Emma Whittaker is alongside Anna Kazilikans,
00:47:32 just as the example of how far she's risen up the order.
00:47:36 She was 13th in Ankara, bronze medalist in Ankara
00:47:38 2022, fourth in the 2021 European Under 24 Championships.
00:47:44 And alongside Emma is Joanna Maria Djogosu,
00:47:49 who is fighting to hold on to that top 10 position.
00:47:53 She was second at the European Under 24 Championships in Poland in 2022.
00:47:57 Charlie Follett has been very consistent as an athlete
00:48:00 since breaking into the senior circuit.
00:48:03 Was 10th in Budapest last week.
00:48:05 Is the European champion, Junior European Championships
00:48:08 Team Relay Women Gold in 2018.
00:48:12 Then we have Yufai Bian.
00:48:15 Yufai Bian.
00:48:17 Gold Team Relay Mixed 100 2019.
00:48:20 And Camila Reti is the final athlete to make her way out onto the pool.
00:48:26 13th in Budapest the other week, 17th in Ankara,
00:48:28 was a silver medalist in Ankara in World Cup 4.
00:48:31 14th in the indoor championships as well.
00:48:34 Camila Reti on her day is without question a top three athlete.
00:48:38 But as her work cut out now because she's currently in 12th place overall.
00:48:44 Not too far off.
00:48:45 Not too far off.
00:48:46 She's a quick runner, but she's not the quickest of swimmers.
00:48:49 So she will lose time here.
00:48:51 So Camila Reti has a battle on her hands, as do all six athletes.
00:48:55 Heat number two.
00:48:57 You can see Zillikens at the top of your screen there.
00:49:00 And off we go.
00:49:01 The athletes in the pool and attacking the course.
00:49:06 And we are underway with our second swimming heat.
00:49:09 It's all level across the board at the moment.
00:49:12 We're expecting the Chinese athlete to be the fastest of the seat.
00:49:17 There you can see the black cap, I believe, is Bian Yufei of China.
00:49:22 Already taking the lead of this race.
00:49:25 She's already edged into a few lengths lead there, hasn't she?
00:49:29 I think just to her left-hand side is Charlie Follett.
00:49:34 So Follett is keeping a little bit of pace.
00:49:37 But this is a really quick start from Yufei Bian.
00:49:40 In fact, I think it could be Whittaker that's close as well to Bian.
00:49:43 So we'll wait to see the split times.
00:49:45 But it's definitely Yufei Bian who leads this race.
00:49:48 We've done the first 50 meters and you can already see quicker times in this heat.
00:49:55 That's nothing to do with the standings.
00:49:56 It's more just to do with the overall swimming standings.
00:50:00 It's all just to do with where the athletes have positioned themselves after fencing.
00:50:04 I'll tell you what, this looks like a pretty quick swim from Whittaker as well.
00:50:07 We'll see the times here.
00:50:08 So Bian leads. It's Follett actually in second place, Whittaker in third.
00:50:11 So not a huge gap, but expect to see Bian start to pull ahead.
00:50:15 I expect to see Whittaker maybe move in front of Follett.
00:50:20 And here's the thing where we start to think,
00:50:23 is this middle pack conserving some effort for the finals?
00:50:26 Or are they giving it their all to secure their place in that final?
00:50:30 But Bian Yufei seems to be...
00:50:33 I don't think she's going to give it her absolute everything at this point, is she?
00:50:36 Like you say, she will hold a little bit back.
00:50:39 But here we go then.
00:50:40 So the final 50 meters has come about very quickly.
00:50:44 And it is indeed Yufei Bian of China in lane 5 at the back of your shot there.
00:50:51 Annika Zillikins is battling to try and keep pace,
00:50:54 but we know that Annika will drop down a little bit after this swimming.
00:50:57 So it's all about that battle.
00:50:59 And this is in fact Annika's first ever time of doing the new format.
00:51:04 So it's all changed for Zillikins since she last competed.
00:51:08 But here we go. The final few meters then.
00:51:10 And it's a race against the clock.
00:51:13 The fastest time so far was 2.20.
00:51:15 Yufei Bian is slower than we anticipated.
00:51:18 It's a 2.17 for Bian.
00:51:20 That is the quickest time so far overall.
00:51:23 2.19 for Charlie Follett and Annika Zillikins actually.
00:51:26 Zillikins came in third place.
00:51:28 A strong finish that from Zillikins, who has consolidated well there.
00:51:32 And Zillikins will be definitely in with a shout in getting into the final.
00:51:36 I think it's a 2.22 from Zillikins.
00:51:39 We'll await confirmation for that.
00:51:41 But yeah, she hasn't competed in forever.
00:51:45 And you know, swimming isn't like a skill based game.
00:51:49 It's more of the pace you have and the endurance you have.
00:51:53 And yeah, if this is not her best, I mean, it's a good start to the season for sure for her.
00:51:59 Without question.
00:52:01 So, Swimming Heats 2 completed.
00:52:06 And we've seen some fast times as anticipated.
00:52:14 And just seeing the replays then of some of the moments of that Swimming Heat here.
00:52:21 The final few meters where we saw our victor, Yufei Bian.
00:52:25 Time of 2.17, the fastest time in the pool so far.
00:52:30 Makes her way over the finish line.
00:52:31 And those are your scores.
00:52:32 And Zillikins, well, it's top of the pile.
00:52:34 She's four points ahead of Charlie Follett.
00:52:37 Bian has moved a little bit closer though.
00:52:39 And look how tight that has become.
00:52:41 Just five points of Zillikins.
00:52:42 Whittaker's dropped back a little bit, but still there's only a few points off those top places.
00:52:47 And then it drops off a little bit, doesn't it?
00:52:48 Look at that gap now between Whittaker and Bauer.
00:52:51 That is quite a significant point.
00:52:54 Total of 17.
00:52:56 So, we still have the third Heat to come up.
00:53:00 So, these aren't your final standings yet.
00:53:02 Nope.
00:53:03 We've still got six more athletes who will make their way into the pool.
00:53:09 Top six athletes at the semi-final.
00:53:12 Here they are.
00:53:13 Alilzee Clivel, Haiyan Jiang, Sunwoo Kim, Marie Oteyza, Laura Asadarskayte, and Catherine Myron.
00:53:20 Oliver, are your six athletes competing in this third and final Swimming Heat?
00:53:27 So, it's kind of funny that Heat 3, top six athletes, two of them are French athletes and two of them are Korean athletes.
00:53:34 It really shows who's dominated at the moment, but we're not ruling anyone further down the list yet.
00:53:40 Yeah, well, this noticeable nations in this final are the French, the Koreans and the Lithuanians.
00:53:49 But Mexicans are represented in this final Heat with Catherine Myron and Oliver.
00:53:54 So, we'll introduce the athletes one by one as they make their way out.
00:53:58 Starting with the Olympic silver medalist from Rio 2016,
00:54:02 Alilzee Clivel was sixth in anchor in the last World Cup.
00:54:05 Probably would have hoped to have finished a little bit higher, given that she started higher up.
00:54:10 But she all looked to put that to bed here in Sofia.
00:54:13 Haiyan Jiang is the highest ranked of the two Korean athletes
00:54:20 and looking to end the four World Cups on a real positive note, of course, towards World Cup final.
00:54:27 Sunwoo Kim, second highest ranked Korean athlete, was tenth in World Cup final last year.
00:54:32 Eighth in Albina last year as well.
00:54:35 Fourth place in Prague, but she picked up a medal in Kishkomet in Hungary in 2018.
00:54:42 Maria Oteyzer has gradually been improving her results this year,
00:54:46 although was seventh in anchor despite being in a solid position, would have hoped to have finished up higher.
00:54:50 Eighth in Cairo already this year as well.
00:54:53 So a seventh and an eighth place finish for Maria Oteyzer. Can she go better in this competition?
00:54:57 Got to get through to the final first.
00:54:59 Laura Asadar-Skati, we've spoken about her wonderful success in this sport,
00:55:05 was fourth in Budapest, a world record laser run time as well in the previous World Cup.
00:55:10 Also an Olympic gold medalist and Olympic silver medalist as well.
00:55:15 And up next is Catherine Mayer Oliver, like younger of the two,
00:55:19 was sister's Pan American Junior champion in 2022 and was third in mixed relay in the Budapest World Cup in 2022.
00:55:29 Six athletes, our third swimming heat, all vying for those top six places.
00:55:34 Who's your money on here? Who's your predictions here for?
00:55:37 Absolutely, I think Elodie Clivel is going to be on the top of that pile coming out of the swim.
00:55:42 We're probably going to see her extend her lead here.
00:55:45 But what I would say about Elodie Clivel, she was out and out the fastest swimmer in the previous format.
00:55:49 Her and Golden Owl's Guba Doulina used to battle it out in the pool, didn't they?
00:55:53 But Clivel I feel has lifted off a little bit in the swimming,
00:55:55 perhaps opting to save a bit of energy heading towards the laser run.
00:55:58 New format brings with it new tactics.
00:56:01 And it'll be interesting to see if Clivel, who we know is capable of setting a time around 2.10,
00:56:07 would get anywhere near that. My anticipation is around a 2.19, 2.20 for Clivel.
00:56:12 But we will wait and see.
00:56:15 Sunwoo Kim's quick in the pool, as is Marie Orteza.
00:56:17 We've got three very quick swimmers in this heat.
00:56:20 And then there'll be a battle between Jang, Aftal Skatey and Oliver for the remaining three positions.
00:56:26 In the centre of your shot though, it looks like Sunwoo Kim is in the lead.
00:56:30 But she's being very, very closely tracked by Marie Orteza.
00:56:34 Elodie Clivel there as well. It seems that these athletes are neck and neck.
00:56:41 It does look like Clivel has edged into a lead here.
00:56:44 So she is giving this maybe a little bit more attention than we anticipated.
00:56:50 Clivel is absolutely flying here actually at the halfway stage.
00:56:54 It's a 1.05 from Clivel.
00:56:56 So if she was to go the same pace, it'd be a 1.10. That'd be an electric speed.
00:57:00 She's already over two and a half seconds ahead of the two Korean athletes in second and third.
00:57:04 Sunwoo Kim and high-end Jang Marie Orteza in fourth place.
00:57:08 But yeah, a lot still could change.
00:57:13 Elodie Clivel in your shot there.
00:57:18 Just I think you can tell when an athlete is a swimmer from their technique and their style.
00:57:26 And Elodie Clivel absolutely demolishes that swim into her final turn.
00:57:32 She is an actual swimmer, isn't she? And it's wonderful to watch her swim.
00:57:35 She's going to get a good time here. There's no doubt about it.
00:57:38 She can afford to lift off a little bit here, but she won't.
00:57:41 She's already out and out leader and is determined to solidify her place in the SuperSaturdays final.
00:57:47 So the final 15, 20 meters or so of this final heat.
00:57:52 Elodie Clivel is absolutely flying in the pool.
00:57:55 It'll be interesting to see what time she actually sets in the end.
00:57:58 So she hits the 2.10 mark. I anticipate a time of around 2.19.
00:58:02 It almost certainly is going to be quicker than that.
00:58:05 Clivel with a 2.16. It's the fastest time overall.
00:58:09 And Elodie Clivel has made an impact there.
00:58:12 Marie Orteza comes home in second place, nearly four seconds behind Clivel.
00:58:17 But Clivel, someone came in third place.
00:58:20 Clivel really with an electric time of 2.16 for Clivel. That is brilliant.
00:58:26 That is, I mean, we've seen Clivel struggle a bit in the laser run, so maybe she wasn't saving that much energy in the pool.
00:58:35 Trying to solidify her position in those top nine off-heats, making it to Saturday's final.
00:58:41 But yeah, this concludes the swimming event for the semifinal A.
00:58:45 And we're going to be seeing the overall results momentarily.
00:58:49 We'll see those scores flashing up on your screen.
00:58:51 A moment before that, we will see some of the replays from Elodie Clivel's masterclass of a performance there.
00:58:58 It was a time of 2.16, a second faster than Yufei Bian of China.
00:59:05 Yufei Bian perhaps maybe saving a bit of energy because she's capable of swimming quicker.
00:59:09 But Elodie Clivel just didn't lay off at that point, any point in the race.
00:59:14 She was a little bit slower in the second 100 meters than she was in the first 100 meters.
00:59:19 She really went out fast. It was a 1.05 that first 100 meters.
00:59:23 So Elodie Clivel missed the final turn.
00:59:27 At this point, it just became a race against the clock.
00:59:30 And there you can see those final few strokes making your way to the finish.
00:59:34 A big gasp of air and a look round to the right to see the clock.
00:59:38 And we will see those scores now. And Clivel without question is ahead of Sun Wukong.
00:59:44 It wasn't as big a lead as I thought, actually.
00:59:46 It might be 16 seconds ahead of Sun Wukong.
00:59:49 Haiyan Zhang a further two points further back.
00:59:51 But it's all about that battle for ninth place.
00:59:53 Emma Whittaker currently occupies it 4.78.
00:59:55 But we'll look on the net screen and see how tight it is.
00:59:59 Let's remember that score of 4.78.
01:00:02 So Whittaker 4.78. And it's a bit of a drop off, actually.
01:00:06 So it's a 4.6, yeah, 9 seconds.
01:00:09 So Oliver in 10th place, Bauer in 11th.
01:00:13 And then Van Kalskatie is one to watch without a doubt.
01:00:17 Maayan Oliver as well. Camilleretti, I think, probably has a bit too much to do from there.
01:00:21 That fence didn't... was not going in her favor at all.
01:00:27 But, yeah, she isn't that quick of a swimmer as well.
01:00:31 But it's going to be interesting to see because most of these athletes are pretty good runners.
01:00:35 So I think we're going to be seeing some battles on the field today.
01:00:39 What I enjoy to see in the new format is the fencing bonus round obviously worth two extra points.
01:00:45 And when those two extra points are applied to score, if you're a slower swimmer, it can make a difference.
01:00:50 There's a little bit more to battle for there.
01:00:52 Let's take a look back at the swimming highlights then before we move over to the conclusion of semi-final A.
01:00:56 The Laser Run coming up next.
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01:01:55 So welcome back to UIPM TV and broadcasts around the world.
01:02:01 We are building up to coverage of the Laser Run.
01:02:06 We conclude the swimming.
01:02:10 Let's take a look at how things move over from the pool to the Laser Run, the exciting, dramatic conclusion of this fantastic sport.
01:02:19 So the Laser Run, of course, 5 x 600 meters.
01:02:24 Handicap starts.
01:02:26 First lap is the formation lap.
01:02:28 No shooting on the first lap.
01:02:29 Then from the second lap onwards you head to the shooting range for laser shooting series.
01:02:34 10 meters distance.
01:02:35 You've got to hit the five targets to move past.
01:02:39 And that is the conclusion of this sport.
01:02:43 It's fast, it's frantic, it's Modern Pentathlon 2023.
01:02:48 So get yourselves in everyone.
01:02:49 The Laser Run coming next.
01:02:54 So there you can see the start/finish line.
01:02:58 As we build up to the start of the Laser Run.
01:03:08 And this is the calm before the storm. The athletes will be all lining up on the start line there underneath.
01:03:22 The start there.
01:03:24 Mariam, this is going to be quite an interesting Laser Run.
01:03:26 It's not actually as tight as we thought it was going to be.
01:03:32 We anticipated it being maybe the battle for ninth being a little bit closer.
01:03:36 But it still could change, couldn't it, as we move through the competition.
01:03:39 We haven't been a fan of the official times yet.
01:03:41 They'll be here in a moment's time as Alex Moran, working hard behind the scenes, brings us the results.
01:03:47 But we can take a look at the UIPM app.
01:03:49 And by the way, if you haven't got the UIPM app, I would recommend taking a look at it.
01:03:54 Because it is very useful at bringing you unofficial live scores of the competition.
01:04:01 But yeah, we're having a look at it here. And Elodie Clivel is in first place on 527.
01:04:08 It's all about Emma Whittaker and if she can hang on to that ninth place.
01:04:13 I don't see anybody from the top nine dropping out.
01:04:15 But I also see some people from the bottom coming up.
01:04:18 So I really don't know how it's going to go.
01:04:20 I'm locked on Ginteria Van Kuskite, who I believe also set a world record.
01:04:26 I think there were two world records broken in Budapest, one of which was Laura Astel-Skati in the Laser Run.
01:04:32 And I'm sure Van Kuskite would have broken the previous world record as well.
01:04:36 They're actually called identical times in Budapest, both of them.
01:04:40 So it's a joint record, not unofficial, by the way.
01:04:43 But yeah, there was a world record was broken.
01:04:46 But that being said, Emma Whittaker is 19 seconds ahead of Van Kuskite.
01:04:54 I mean, is that do you think that's doable?
01:04:58 19 seconds Van Kuskite to Whittaker. Whittaker is quick as well.
01:05:02 Whittaker is quick. I think Whittaker is going to move up.
01:05:05 But let's see who's going to move down. That's the whole point.
01:05:08 Can they look down that order? I mean, I think maybe the Chinese might drop out.
01:05:13 You could say maybe Euphobia could get caught.
01:05:15 I don't think she's the quickest runner as well.
01:05:17 So she I mean, she's got a 19 second gap over Blanka Bauer.
01:05:23 It's all speculation at the moment.
01:05:25 But yeah, the the swimming has really mixed things up here and has helped the top nine.
01:05:31 But yeah, Whittaker with those extra 10 points in the fencing bonus round,
01:05:38 has really made a difference to her competition.
01:05:55 And your shot there just warming up.
01:05:59 Charlie Follett as well. Two British athletes.
01:06:03 We're assuming are going to make it into Saturday's final.
01:06:08 Really strong athletes, consistent athletes.
01:06:18 Annika Zillikens. A bit of shooting warm up there as well.
01:06:24 It's going to be interesting to see what Annika brings to play here in Sofia.
01:06:30 It's our first time watching her run after Tokyo 2021 Olympics.
01:06:35 We have seen her in the mixed relay in Budapest, though.
01:06:37 But yeah, an individual competition is a whole new world.
01:06:40 Annika is going very well here in sixth place.
01:06:44 She's an unknown quantity as well. I know she's been training very hard.
01:06:48 And to be fair, before we saw her in mixed relay, I mean, she was one of the faster runners.
01:06:58 So she's a quick laser runner.
01:07:01 I know she's got a lot of pressure on her shoulders at the moment.
01:07:03 This being her first event since the Tokyo Olympic Games.
01:07:07 And there is the mascot, the mascot of Pentathlon.
01:07:12 But I mean, that is a happy baby.
01:07:15 I think probably all of us would benefit from a nap.
01:07:18 That is a hard nap, isn't it? Napping hard. I mean, arms splayed.
01:07:24 She's in the mood, to be honest.
01:07:25 Yeah, that's a vibe. I'll tell you what, I dream of a nap like that.
01:07:32 I'm sure her mum does as well, by the way.
01:07:34 Shooting range six. At least a very sleepy baby.
01:07:38 I haven't seen that baby cry once.
01:07:40 Don't jinx it. Don't jinx it. The mom has to run now.
01:07:44 Our director, Oliver Valente, has been doing a good job of bringing us pictures of the baby in its various moods.
01:07:51 We've seen it happy and smiling with grandma.
01:07:53 We've seen it sleeping and relaxed.
01:07:55 Next job is to see it cry because this baby never seems to cry.
01:07:58 Here we go then.
01:08:00 The athletes at the shooting range.
01:08:03 Emma Whittaker has some pressure on her shoulders because she's currently in ninth place.
01:08:07 And there's a bit of a gap between her and tenth place, but it's only 11 seconds.
01:08:13 And it is Catherine, Myra and Oliver who is in tenth place.
01:08:18 So what could change?
01:08:22 Elodie Cluvel, who starts the race in first place, is going to be the one to catch.
01:08:40 And there she is, Elodie Cluvel, who has a solid head start from the rest of the field.
01:08:49 16 seconds ahead of Sunwoo Kim.
01:08:52 I think Elodie will be one to watch throughout this competition.
01:08:58 And as a result, let's just take a little bit look at some of her statistics.
01:09:02 She is second in the pentathlon rankings, born in 1989.
01:09:08 Her World Cup debut came a full 21 years later.
01:09:12 She's had 46 World Cup starts, has won silver Olympic medal to her name.
01:09:17 She's won three championships, has never won a gold, two silvers and one bronze.
01:09:21 She's won three World Cup gold medals, three World Cup silver medals and two World Cup bronze medals.
01:09:28 She is one of the stars of the sport.
01:09:30 And Elodie Cluvel starts this laser run in a very, very solid position.
01:09:36 Looking a little bit more into her overall performance.
01:09:39 She is 12 percent above average in fencing, above average in riding
01:09:44 and way above average in the swimming as well as bang on average in the laser run.
01:09:49 Has been struggling a little bit at the shooting range this year
01:09:52 and is as a result of that 46th in the rankings in laser run.
01:09:58 You know what she is a pretty quick runner.
01:09:59 I think the laser run statistics is because obviously it is based on the entire laser run all in all.
01:10:06 Let's look a little bit deeper into her statistics with her handicap analysis.
01:10:11 We know that in Ankara she started in second place, but finished down in sixth place.
01:10:18 In Budapest she started in first, but finished down I think in memory serves correctly.
01:10:23 I think that was in sixth place as well.
01:10:24 In Cairo she started in first, finished in second.
01:10:27 It's not been until World Cup final in Ankara in 2022 that she started the race and finished in the same position.
01:10:36 So this won't count towards the statistics because this is just a semi-final
01:10:40 and those are finals graphics.
01:10:42 She'd want to repeat the World Cup in Ankara this year as well, 2023.
01:10:46 I mean a first place position would automatically qualify her for the Paris Olympics.
01:10:52 That's true.
01:10:53 World Cup final goal of course in Ankara would get you that coveted Olympic spot.
01:10:59 For the French athletes it means that little bit more the next Olympic Games being held in Paris in 2024.
01:11:06 Camilla Retty starting in 17th place.
01:11:10 Will be an athlete to watch as the competition goes by,
01:11:17 but I think given that position that she's currently in it could be a little bit difficult for her to make up that time.
01:11:25 But we will see if anyone could do it, Camilla Retty can.
01:11:29 Are we going to have one or two shocks?
01:11:31 That's what's so exciting about this new format.
01:11:33 You just never know. Anna Kozilek is great to see her back.
01:11:37 Going very well here in 6th place overall.
01:11:41 Anna Kozilek is catching the attention here.
01:11:43 Make no doubt about it.
01:11:45 And we will see how she performs alongside her Charlie Follett.
01:11:49 Who has gradually made her way up the leaderboards.
01:11:54 Charlie Follett in fencing picked up just 16 victories.
01:11:59 And that will of course carry through to the final.
01:12:02 Athletes will always aim to get more victories than they did defeats.
01:12:07 But we are just four minutes away from the start of this race.
01:12:16 Interesting to see the French girls again back at it in the shooting range.
01:12:21 May set the tone for this final ahead of them.
01:12:27 So all eyes on Elodie Cluvel.
01:12:41 Who has opted for a little bit more warmth with the under layer.
01:12:53 It's cold. There's no escaping the fact that, especially given that it's May,
01:13:00 we're having unseasonally cold weather.
01:13:02 That seems to be the theme of the year. It was cold in Budapest, it was cold in Ankara.
01:13:05 It's been just cold weather in the European venues this year, hasn't it?
01:13:09 I think the only warm one was Cairo.
01:13:12 Cairo was warm.
01:13:14 We go back to Ankara for World Cup final.
01:13:19 And then the World Championships will be in Bath in August.
01:13:24 Do you think it's going to be cold there too?
01:13:26 No, it should be warm in August in Bath.
01:13:28 Last year we had temperatures up to 40 degrees in the UK.
01:13:31 But it doesn't have that same vibe this year, but I would imagine it will be at least in the 20s.
01:13:36 You never know with the British weather, but we should have some OK temperatures.
01:13:41 I see Benkaz Ghaidi warming up with an ice cap.
01:13:45 Really?
01:13:46 Yes, look at her.
01:13:49 Oh, mama giving some attention to the baby before her race.
01:13:54 Baby's woken up after that mega nap.
01:13:57 I think it's a nice distraction in some ways as well, isn't it?
01:14:02 It kind of puts context on things, doesn't it?
01:14:04 That's what really matters in life, is family.
01:14:06 But of course, Annika would love to qualify for the final.
01:14:10 And who knows, could she even go one better?
01:14:12 It's her first World Cup since the Tokyo Olympics.
01:14:16 Let's take a look at the start list.
01:14:18 Enelde Kluvel 16 seconds ahead of Sunmoo Kim.
01:14:21 Haiyan Zhang in third place.
01:14:22 Ortiz in fourth.
01:14:23 Asadul Ghaidi in fifth.
01:14:25 Ziligun starting in sixth place.
01:14:27 Follett in seventh place.
01:14:28 Bian in eighth place.
01:14:29 Whittaker in ninth.
01:14:30 49 seconds off the lead.
01:14:32 Keep an eye on that 49 seconds, because that is the time they will all be trying to catch on the next page.
01:14:37 There is a bit of a drop-off.
01:14:38 I think it was 17 seconds last time we checked.
01:14:40 Let's take a look.
01:14:42 So remember that 49 seconds.
01:14:49 So it was 11 seconds, the gap between Katherine Moynihan and Oliver Soot.
01:14:52 So it's not too big a gap, actually.
01:14:54 It was 17 seconds between Blanka Bauer and Emma Whittaker.
01:14:58 And a further two seconds further back, Gwent Kowskaty.
01:15:01 So you've also got Yoko Suu, who's not too far off.
01:15:05 We've lost the rest of them, but yeah.
01:15:07 But we are now moving towards...
01:15:10 So here we are, just a few minutes away from the start of this race.
01:15:23 Elodie Cluvel with that safety net of 16 seconds.
01:15:27 She will take some catching, but she has struggled with shooting so far this year.
01:15:32 So it will be interesting to see if Elodie Cluvel has improved on that
01:15:37 into this fourth World Cup of the 2023 Pentathlon season.
01:15:41 But all eyes are on Emma Whittaker in ninth place.
01:15:43 She's 49 seconds off the lead, 11 seconds ahead of Katherine Moynihan and Oliver.
01:15:48 But we are just 30 seconds now ahead of the start of this semifinal.
01:15:53 Yeah, and I think with this trend with the laser shooting,
01:15:56 I don't think Elodie is going to take it easy in the run.
01:15:59 I think she's going to give it not her all, but...
01:16:02 She's going to give it a fair whack, isn't she?
01:16:04 So four disciplines over the course of 90 minutes.
01:16:10 But it all comes down to this.
01:16:12 Elodie Cluvel gets this underway.
01:16:15 Semifinal A, laser run, up and running.
01:16:18 It's the formation lap, so no shooting on this first lap.
01:16:21 Elodie Cluvel will cut a lonely figure, which I'm sure she'll be happy with
01:16:24 and would prefer that to be a goal.
01:16:26 She's one of the quickest runners out there.
01:16:29 She's a great laser shooter on her day as well.
01:16:32 So let's see how she handles the pressure of being in first place.
01:16:36 Sun Wukong starting next alongside the Haiyan Zhang.
01:16:40 So it's a career two and three and it's a France one and four.
01:16:43 Marie Ortega getting us underway and moving out in fourth place.
01:16:47 A bit of a gap then between Ortega and Laura Asdal-Skatey,
01:16:51 who we'll see at the end of the race.
01:16:53 Marie Ortega and Laura Asdal-Skatey.
01:16:56 We will see Asdal-Skatey making her way around the back of the shooting range
01:17:00 in a few moments' time behind Marie Ortega of France.
01:17:04 In sixth place it is Anna Kazilikans.
01:17:07 Seventh place, Charlie Follett.
01:17:10 Then closely followed up by Yufai Bian.
01:17:12 And Ortega in ninth place.
01:17:14 And then the chasing pack will do their best to catch those in front of them.
01:17:18 The top nine out on track at the moment would be safely through to the final
01:17:22 if things finished as they are.
01:17:23 But we know there's still lots of drama still to come
01:17:27 as this semi-final eight starts to take fold.
01:17:31 So our tenth athlete is out. Our eleventh athlete is out.
01:17:36 Venka Skaridze in twelve is out.
01:17:39 So Camila Reddy is just about to get out onto that field
01:17:48 and we have all our athletes out on that field right now.
01:17:51 Trying to get into those top nine athletes making it to the final on Saturday.
01:17:56 Already see kind of a battle here between Bian and...
01:17:59 Yeah, well, Bian as we've mentioned is possibly the slowest runner of that top nine.
01:18:05 So Bian could be the one that gets sucked into this battle.
01:18:08 It was a... what was it?
01:18:11 It was an eleven, twelve, thirteen second gap between her and Catherine Mayer-Oliver
01:18:17 who already is powering through the field.
01:18:19 She can't afford to take it easy.
01:18:21 She has to give this absolutely everything if her competition is to continue.
01:18:26 The first lap is underway and we're already seeing athletes catching those top nine.
01:18:31 It could all change in this competition. Make no doubt about it.
01:18:35 The two British athletes, Charlie Follis and Emma Whittaker in seventh and eighth place.
01:18:39 But it is Yufei Bian of China who is going to potentially get sucked into that battle.
01:18:44 You can see the chasing pack can sense a place in Saturday's final.
01:18:50 And they are now starting to catch.
01:18:52 And that gap we will see in a few moments time has dropped down.
01:18:55 The athletes now at the shooting range for the first shooting routine.
01:18:58 Elodie Cluvel is slow at the range and we've got a great angle from our commentary position here
01:19:03 where you can see Elodie Cluvel is struggling in the shooting range.
01:19:06 And she's already been caught up by the two Korean athletes and her French teammate.
01:19:09 So this is worrying for Elodie Cluvel who you would imagine will still make it through to the final.
01:19:15 But her shooting is once again letting her down.
01:19:17 And the Korean athletes are away but the two French athletes are still at the range.
01:19:22 And this is interesting actually because it's brought a lot of the other athletes in.
01:19:25 So Elodie Cluvel cuts away a frustrated figure because that's a slow shoot for Cluvel
01:19:32 and another slow shoot for Ortiz.
01:19:35 So they have been maybe brought back into things.
01:19:37 A good shoot from the Zillikins and from Laura Astarskaiti.
01:19:42 Follett is away cleanly.
01:19:44 Whittaker is at the range now as well as is Van Kalskaiti.
01:19:47 Whittaker just on her final target now.
01:19:49 Struggling a little bit on this final target actually.
01:19:51 Van Kalskaiti now moves ahead of Whittaker.
01:19:53 So Whittaker just getting caught up in this battle.
01:19:55 It's a slow shoot for Whittaker.
01:19:56 And here we can see athletes starting to make their way up into that top nine.
01:20:01 Jintero Van Kalskaiti in eighth place.
01:20:03 Catherine Moir and Oliver has moved up to ninth.
01:20:05 So Whittaker has dropped out of the top ten.
01:20:07 And Bauer in eleventh place is starting to close in potentially on that top nine.
01:20:11 It is. I mean laser shooting is crucial at this point.
01:20:13 I mean there's not a lot separating these athletes.
01:20:15 It's going to be a race till the end I believe.
01:20:17 Nobody's safe.
01:20:18 It certainly is.
01:20:19 We were maybe a little bit early with our prediction of saying who could drop out of the top nine
01:20:23 because it has all changed after that first laser shooting round.
01:20:27 It's dramatic and it is frantic and that's what we like to see.
01:20:30 The athletes would like an easy run of things.
01:20:32 But we know that that is not the case as things stand.
01:20:36 It is all potentially going to change over the next three laps.
01:20:40 Charlie Pollard's in seventh place.
01:20:42 Sillikon's in sixth.
01:20:43 Laura Astell-Skatey in fifth place.
01:20:45 But Blanca Bauer has now moved past Emma Whittaker.
01:20:49 She's moved up to tenth place.
01:20:51 So Blanca Bauer has moved up into ninth place.
01:20:55 So Whittaker's overtaken Oliver.
01:20:58 But Blanca Bauer has moved past.
01:21:00 Well, still a lot that can change.
01:21:03 Tara Van Kuskatey, so this you feel is potentially going to be an opportunity lost here for Whittaker
01:21:08 unless can she improve her shooting at the next shooting round.
01:21:11 One athlete we know that will be desperate to improve her shooting
01:21:14 is the Olympic silver medalist from Rio 2016, Elodie Clouvel.
01:21:18 But the athletes, the two lead athletes, are making their way now towards the shooting range.
01:21:22 Hyein Jang and Sunwoo Kim of Korea arrive at the range in unison.
01:21:27 And they will now be shooting to try to extend their lead.
01:21:30 They both missed their first shots.
01:21:32 But Sunwoo Kim has made a good start now.
01:21:35 She's in two out of five.
01:21:37 Three out of five now.
01:21:39 Four out of five for Sunwoo Kim.
01:21:41 And five out of five, so Sunwoo Kim away.
01:21:44 That's two shoots down, as is Hyein Jang.
01:21:48 So Clouvel's shooting much better this time.
01:21:50 It has to be said. It's four out of five for Elodie Clouvel.
01:21:52 Five out of five, that's way better.
01:21:54 So Elodie Clouvel has put to bed that first shoot and is away solidly.
01:21:59 Astadaskaiti is out.
01:22:01 Astadaskaiti flying through.
01:22:03 Zilikins is looking solid here as well.
01:22:05 So Annika Zilikins moves out of the shooting range.
01:22:07 I think she's gained a position.
01:22:09 Charlie Follett is away safely as well.
01:22:11 There goes Meryl Taizer.
01:22:13 It's a slightly better shoot for her as well.
01:22:15 And Jintare Bankauskaiti quietly going about her business in eighth place now.
01:22:20 Emma Whittaker has had a great shoot and has moved back up into ninth place.
01:22:23 So Emma Whittaker takes that ninth place back.
01:22:26 She started the race in ninth place.
01:22:28 She's now back in ninth place.
01:22:30 And she's coming under a little bit of pressure, looking a bit further back from Djoko Su.
01:22:33 Blanka Bauer had a slow shoot.
01:22:35 She's got it all to do once again on the track.
01:22:37 I mean, this is changing up by the second.
01:22:40 So it's an exciting race.
01:22:42 But, yeah, I'm pretty impressed by Elodie.
01:22:44 I mean, I think that's the fastest shoot she's had this season.
01:22:47 Yeah, Elodie's gone from a very slow shoot to a very quick shoot.
01:22:50 So, you know, the ability doesn't disappear, does it?
01:22:52 Sometimes it's a mental game.
01:22:54 But she has turned her fortunes around, fair to say,
01:22:58 and has put herself in a solid position once again.
01:23:02 She's back inside the top three.
01:23:04 But it's all about, we did mention Emma Whittaker would have all eyes on her in this final.
01:23:09 She's in ninth place at the moment.
01:23:10 Blanka Bauer is now about to move back up into tenth place.
01:23:14 So we still have two shoots to go.
01:23:15 Still all could change.
01:23:17 You feel that this race is starting to relax into a little bit of a rhythm now.
01:23:20 We're starting to get an idea of who is competing safely.
01:23:24 But that just shows how bunched up things are.
01:23:26 Nobody is safely through to the final, especially not with Blanka Bauer,
01:23:29 who is really putting that pace and is desperately trying to get back up into tenth place
01:23:33 ahead of Joanna Maria Jogosu of Estonia.
01:23:36 So, heading around the final stages of this course will be our leaders in just a moment's time,
01:23:41 who will be heading towards their penultimate shoots.
01:23:44 But there is Blanka Bauer closing in on Emma Whittaker again.
01:23:48 The pressure once again will be on Emma Whittaker at the shooting range.
01:23:51 But I can tell you that Sunwoo Kim and Hyun Jang are just arriving,
01:23:56 as you can see on your screens there, to the shooting range.
01:23:58 So these two have shot pretty calmly, it has to be said.
01:24:01 Hyun has made it one out of one.
01:24:04 Sunwoo has made it.
01:24:05 Yeah, this is great shooting from Sunwoo Kim, actually.
01:24:07 It's four out of five for Sunwoo Kim.
01:24:09 She's away.
01:24:10 So Sunwoo Kim is absolutely flying.
01:24:12 Great shooting.
01:24:13 So...
01:24:16 Eyes on Elodie Cluvel at the moment.
01:24:18 Can she repeat that second shoot?
01:24:22 Yeah, well, Cluvel made the first two fairly quickly.
01:24:25 But now as she gets up to 13 seconds, it's another slow shoot for Cluvel.
01:24:30 So there's definitely inconsistency in the name of the game for Cluvel here.
01:24:34 A few of the other athletes have got away.
01:24:35 The likes of Astell Scoti, the likes of Zillikin, the likes of Follett
01:24:38 have moved ahead of Cluvel now.
01:24:39 And Cluvel is potentially going to get sucked into this battle for ninth place,
01:24:42 if she's not careful.
01:24:43 It was a 25-odd-second shoot.
01:24:46 And there's Blanca Bauer and Whittaker.
01:24:48 So Whittaker and Bauer are now only a matter of seconds behind Elodie Cluvel.
01:24:53 So Elodie Cluvel started 49 seconds ahead of Emma Whittaker.
01:24:58 She started a minute and six seconds ahead of Blanca Bauer.
01:25:03 And Blanca Bauer is now probably around six seconds behind Cluvel.
01:25:06 That is the inconsistency of Cluvel's race so far.
01:25:09 That doesn't bode well for Elodie's final.
01:25:12 I mean, she's gotten the best--
01:25:13 She's got to get into the final first.
01:25:15 Yeah.
01:25:16 And Marie Orteza has dropped out of the top ten.
01:25:19 So Marie Orteza was in fourth place and has now dropped down.
01:25:23 So as things stand, both Whittaker and Bauer would qualify for Super Saturday.
01:25:30 Amazing stuff.
01:25:31 This is such a--
01:25:32 And we still have one more shooting routine to go.
01:25:34 So it's been very consistent from Whittaker and Bauer who have done a lot to earn their place into the final.
01:25:41 Marie Orteza has dropped back now.
01:25:42 We're waiting for the classifications.
01:25:43 And Marie Orteza has dropped down into tenth place.
01:25:46 So all eyes on the two French athletes who started in first and fourth place respectively.
01:25:51 They've now moved down to seventh and tenth place.
01:25:53 Make no doubt about it.
01:25:55 Elodie Cluvel is now in a battle to qualify.
01:25:57 Yeah, she is.
01:25:58 I mean, she's getting sucked into that ninth place battle.
01:26:00 And we still have one shoot to go.
01:26:02 So we could see some switch-ups there.
01:26:06 So we are on the penultimate lap.
01:26:09 We still have one more shoot to go.
01:26:11 Blanka Bauer is running brilliantly.
01:26:13 We knew she was a quick laser.
01:26:15 We've seen her running fast before.
01:26:16 Camila Reti is a little bit further back.
01:26:18 I don't think she's going to have enough to make it into this final.
01:26:21 Yufai Bian has dropped down as well.
01:26:23 So a few of those early predictions have come into place.
01:26:26 But we head back to the shooting range because Sun Woo Kim and Haiyan Jiang are back in the range.
01:26:31 For their final sheet.
01:26:32 These two have been ever consistent.
01:26:34 Sun Woo Kim makes her first two shots so quickly.
01:26:38 Then Asadar Skatey is at the shooting range as well.
01:26:41 As is Zillikins.
01:26:42 As is Follett.
01:26:44 So Sun Woo Kim's away.
01:26:45 We'll see you on Saturday.
01:26:46 That is a solid, solid final for Sun Woo Kim.
01:26:50 Haiyan Jiang is away as well.
01:26:52 Cluvel arrives at the range.
01:26:53 As does Whittaker.
01:26:54 As does Bauer.
01:26:55 Zillikins and Asadar Skatey are away.
01:26:57 Follett is away.
01:26:58 Then Cal Skatey is away.
01:27:01 So these are the athletes we are going to be seeing in the final.
01:27:03 But this is the battle now between Whittaker and Bauer is away.
01:27:07 Great shooting from Bauer.
01:27:09 Whittaker is a little bit slow at this final shoot.
01:27:11 Cluvel has now made it three out of the five.
01:27:13 You feel this battle is going to go right down to the wire.
01:27:15 Whittaker is away.
01:27:17 So Cluvel and Ortiz are still at the range.
01:27:19 Could Cluvel catch Whittaker on the track?
01:27:22 Marie Ortiz is away.
01:27:23 But Cluvel is now dropped out of that top ten.
01:27:27 My goodness me.
01:27:28 Drama on this final lap.
01:27:29 It becomes a battle between the two French athletes.
01:27:31 We are going to lose one of Ortiz and one of Cluvel.
01:27:35 And in fact, making her way back into the fold to potentially take this battle right down to the wire is Joanna Maria Joguesou.
01:27:44 Semi-final A.
01:27:45 It's one of four semi-finals we are going to bring you ahead of Super Saturday.
01:27:49 Has been gripping from start to finish.
01:27:52 But we are going to lose one of Marie Ortiz and one of Cluvel.
01:27:57 And before the race started, you would have been shocked if we told you that.
01:28:02 Oh my God, the nerves.
01:28:03 I mean, the two French athletes are battling it out now for ninth.
01:28:08 Still Ortiz is in the lead, but you never know.
01:28:11 If you're one of the French coaches on the sideline here, you're going to wonder where it all went wrong.
01:28:15 Because as things stand, Elodie Cluvel started in first place a minute and six seconds ahead of tenth place.
01:28:24 And she has now dropped down into tenth.
01:28:26 Emma Wittke, you feel, has done enough now.
01:28:28 She's ahead of Marie Ortiz, who has actually turned this around nicely because she did drop out of that top ten.
01:28:33 And Marie Ortiz will have work to do.
01:28:35 And Cluvel has now dropped down to eleventh, will not be appearing in the final.
01:28:40 This is dramatic for the Rio 2016 silver medalist.
01:28:44 But there you go.
01:28:45 The lead pack who have all been consistent and will all solidly make their way through to Super Saturday.
01:28:52 We'll count them as they come over the line.
01:28:54 But this is a brilliant performance by all those athletes.
01:28:57 Sunwoo Kim of Korea will come over in first place.
01:29:00 Hyun Jang will come over in second.
01:29:02 Charlie Follett in third.
01:29:03 Annika Zillikens makes her first final since 2021.
01:29:08 Excellent stuff there from Zillikens.
01:29:10 Emma Wittke is there as well.
01:29:12 Blanca Bauer with a fantastic performance.
01:29:14 Jintare Van Kalskate is in the final.
01:29:16 Lara Astelskate is in the final.
01:29:17 Emma Wittke is in the final.
01:29:19 Marie Ortiz has done it.
01:29:21 But missing out is Joanna Maria Jogesu.
01:29:24 And Elodie Cluvel has dropped outside the top ten.
01:29:27 It certainly was dramatic, Mariam.
01:29:29 And it all just unfolded in front of our very eyes.
01:29:33 And we've lost Elodie Cluvel.
01:29:35 I know we said at the beginning that we thought even though she's going to
01:29:40 maybe potentially mess up a bit in the shoot,
01:29:42 she was still going to be in the final given her lead.
01:29:45 But it's all drama here in Sofia.
01:29:49 Top nine athletes.
01:29:51 You can see Annika Zillikens collapsed on the floor there.
01:29:54 She's exhausted, but it's proven that she is a force in this sport.
01:29:57 She's taken a break.
01:29:58 She's had a child.
01:30:08 She's come back.
01:30:09 And now very much seems like one to watch for this competition.
01:30:13 Annika Zillikens, you never know, could even medal here.
01:30:16 Absolutely.
01:30:17 Maybe even a medal here would allow her to qualify for the World Cup final.
01:30:20 I mean, that might be a long shot.
01:30:22 That's true.
01:30:23 I absolutely agree with you.
01:30:24 A medal here would very much put her in a position to qualify for World Cup
01:30:27 final.
01:30:28 So, yeah, it's --
01:30:30 It's actually kind of intimidating because we were talking to her at the
01:30:34 hotel the other day and she was saying she's not in her top form.
01:30:37 So I'd love to see her in her top form.
01:30:39 This is just like her starting point.
01:30:42 But, yeah.
01:30:43 And actually one athlete I don't think is talked about enough is the Korean
01:30:48 athlete Kim Sunwoo.
01:30:49 I did actually compete with Kim Sunwoo at the Junior World Championships
01:30:53 where she won gold.
01:30:55 And she's such a steady and consistent athlete.
01:30:58 I mean, so according to the rules, you have to have your pistol in the range
01:31:03 when you go in and shoot.
01:31:05 And that day I remember it was 2017 Junior World Championships in I think it
01:31:10 was Czechoslovakia.
01:31:13 Her pistol did fall out of the range.
01:31:15 She had to run back, put the pistol back, go out and run again.
01:31:19 And she came in in gold.
01:31:21 So, yeah, steady nerves.
01:31:22 She can pretty much compete in the face of adversity under any circumstances.
01:31:27 Interesting story that from Marion.
01:31:29 Sunwoo Kim was very, very consistent in that semifinal.
01:31:33 We've spoken a bit about Anna Kozilikins.
01:31:35 You can see there just chatting to her coach after what was a very,
01:31:39 very impressive return to action.
01:31:44 That is Ortiz.
01:31:45 Ortiz is just getting a dress down from her coach.
01:31:47 She's in the final, but she started in fourth place.
01:31:50 So shooting definitely with room to improve.
01:31:54 I'd like to get some insight on French shooting, to be honest,
01:31:57 because this seems to be an ongoing trend between women especially.
01:32:01 Between the female athletes.
01:32:02 I mean, Cluvel has, yeah, she's psychologically,
01:32:05 she's struggled a little bit with shooting this year.
01:32:08 You know, we can't get away from that fact.
01:32:10 And Cluvel is obviously a figure of frustration,
01:32:12 starting in first place as she is on your screens there.
01:32:16 And, you know, commiserations to Elodie Cluvel.
01:32:19 She's a brilliant athlete, great person.
01:32:21 And she's, you know, she's achieved so much in this sport,
01:32:24 but definitely there are issues with her shooting.
01:32:28 Let's take a look back at some of the replays of that dramatic laser run.
01:32:33 There you can see Cluvel leading the pack away with that 16 second head start
01:32:38 over Samukim.
01:32:40 And Haiyan Zhang was just two seconds further back.
01:32:44 And we can see obviously Anna Wittiger was making her way through the field.
01:32:50 And Yufai Bian, not the quickest runner, did drop back a little bit.
01:32:59 This is the first shooting range.
01:33:00 And this is when we started to fear a little bit for Cluvel.
01:33:03 But Cluvel's second shoot was, I'm sure, sub 10 seconds.
01:33:07 So it's interesting to see how things mixed up a little bit.
01:33:12 But if she's shooting sub 10 seconds, then you know she has the ability to shoot sub 10 seconds.
01:33:16 So you wonder what goes --
01:33:17 She's an Olympic silver medalist.
01:33:19 It doesn't disappear overnight.
01:33:20 It's definitely a psychological thing, something I know that she's working hard with.
01:33:26 She's obviously in for the World Cup final anyways, but she's going to have to work on that
01:33:30 if she wants that gold medal.
01:33:31 Once she can win gold at the World Cup final, Qualifying Olympics, then none of this matters.
01:33:35 But there will always be that little thought in her head, what if that happens again once in --
01:33:38 It's called the yips when in a sporting scenario, psychologically something just doesn't quite work.
01:33:46 And it's kind of terrifying when it becomes a trend, because then you're expecting it to happen
01:33:52 and the people around you are expecting it to happen as well.
01:33:54 This is the moment then when the lead pack cross the finish line, all very casual,
01:33:57 because they knew they were in the final, no need to really push Emma Whitaker,
01:34:03 was just sort of coming over reasonably casually in eighth place.
01:34:08 Maria Ortega in ninth and then just missing out was Joanna Maria Giogos who started in 13th place.
01:34:13 Great effort.
01:34:14 Yeah, great effort from her, finishing just outside that top ten.
01:34:17 A really good laser run.
01:34:18 She just moved forward.
01:34:20 It was very positive, very good stuff.
01:34:23 Emma Whitaker just chatting with her coach alongside Charlie Follett.
01:34:26 Two British athletes have made their way into the final.
01:34:29 Emma Whitaker started ninth and finished in eighth.
01:34:32 A nice moment between the two British athletes here.
01:34:34 We saw Maria Ortega getting her dress down.
01:34:38 Yeah, so she's in that final, but I'm guessing she's not happy with her performance,
01:34:43 dropped down from fourth to ninth.
01:34:46 So these are the final results then, and you can see Samu, Kim, Haiyan,
01:34:51 Joanna, Charlie Follett, Anna Kozilikins, Blanca Baraj,
01:34:53 Intario Venkaskaiti, Laura Astaskaiti, Anna Wiska and Maria Ortega all qualify for Super Saturday.
01:35:00 We will find out who the other nine female athletes joining them in semifinal B
01:35:06 will be, obviously, a little bit later today in our second broadcast,
01:35:10 which will come latest afternoon here in Sofia.
01:35:15 But the athletes, too, have missed out on qualification.
01:35:17 We will see now on the next page.
01:35:20 Here you can see Joanna Maria Iogosu just missing out there.
01:35:23 Elodie Cluvel in 11th place, dropped from first to 11th.
01:35:27 Lucy Hlavakova actually had a very good laser run, started in 16th, moved up to 12th place.
01:35:32 Catherine Mairin-Olivier, you felt for a moment, could push into that top nine,
01:35:35 didn't quite work out for her.
01:35:37 She was alongside her sister, Mairin-Olivier, in 14th place.
01:35:40 Camila Reti in 15th, Yufai Bian in 16th,
01:35:44 Rosie Tang in 17th, and Janine Coleman unfortunately dropped out of the competition
01:35:49 because of an injury.
01:35:50 So we wish Janine all the best in her recovery from said injury.
01:35:55 That was an exciting day. I had fun.
01:35:59 Very exciting.
01:36:01 So that concludes the action of Semi-Final A,
01:36:04 and we will of course join you for Semi-Final B.
01:36:07 We will leave you with the images of the day,
01:36:09 bid you farewell, and see you a bit later for the conclusion of Women's Semi-Final Day.
01:36:12 Bye for now.
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