- 2 years ago
Men’s Semi-final A
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00:00:00Yes, welcome and Nihao to the magnificent Olympic Sports Center here in Zhengzhou, China.
00:00:27It really is a breathtaking complex and stadium, just look at that, and a perfect venue to
00:00:33crown the world champions of the modern pentathlon.
00:00:36The World Championships 2024 are taking place here today.
00:00:41It's the turn of the men after yesterday's women's semifinals.
00:00:45My name is Ian Stringer and thank you for taking the time to join us.
00:00:47Maryam Amur, a former athlete alongside me, 36 degrees today, relatively speaking, that's
00:00:54quite cool.
00:00:55Which just goes to tell you the kind of heat that we've had.
00:00:59Here is our first semifinal then for our male athletes.
00:01:02They battle it out for the top nine for Saturday's final.
00:01:06The event taking place over the condensed 90-minute duration.
00:01:10We have no riding in this semifinal.
00:01:14So the riding will take place and start in the final.
00:01:18We start the semifinals then with fencing and the bonus round, the one-on-one bounce.
00:01:23The conclusion of the fencing, remember it's a winner stays on format.
00:01:26A trip to the pool then for the 200-meter freestyle.
00:01:30Here is a 25-meter pool in Zhengzhou.
00:01:34We conclude with the final place deciding thrilling laser run.
00:01:38It's five laps of our 600-meter circuit, four trips to the laser shooting range where the
00:01:45athletes will have to shoot five targets from 10 meters before moving on to the next lap
00:01:51of their run.
00:01:52The timeout at 50 seconds, they leave the range.
00:01:55The first over the line is the winner and the first nine qualify as of right.
00:02:01It's a new format.
00:02:02It's an Olympic format.
00:02:03And who will make Saturday's super Saturday final?
00:02:09There are the Olympic rankings after the World Cup final in Ankara.
00:02:13You can see the qualifying nations via their athletes with their places, thankfully for
00:02:20Saturday's finals, we have, Mariam and I have access to what we hope is going to be
00:02:25a very helpful document that's going to assist us in calling those places for the nations.
00:02:31The nations then, Mariam, have the difficult decision of calling their athletes.
00:02:36Yes, it's going to be a difficult one for a lot of nations.
00:02:39We have, as you said, the creme de la creme of athletes and it's tough to kind of filter
00:02:45through those.
00:02:46The offensive ranking round has already taken place, so our athletes are ranked in terms
00:02:54of their offensive ranking rounds, which earns them points, of course, towards their ultimate
00:03:01total, but also ranks them for the bonus round as well, which we are about to see.
00:03:06So that has already taken place.
00:03:07And here are the results, 250 points and 24.
00:03:12Yeah, that's incredible, Marouk.
00:03:16He doesn't have the best of running times as well, so that would be a big help to get
00:03:21him into the finals.
00:03:22He does have a good shoot, though, Sepp up there as well.
00:03:25And I think early predictions that Sepp could be on the podium of this competition.
00:03:30Oh, there's a bold shout.
00:03:32To update all of our viewers, there are two athletes who will not be taking part in semi-final
00:03:38A. Unfortunately, the two Egyptian men will not be here.
00:03:45Ahmed El-Ghandi and Mahanad Shaban will not be in semi-final A. That's a huge loss to
00:03:51the competition, Mariam, to the Egyptian team and to the individual athletes, of course.
00:03:55We wish them well.
00:03:56Yeah, I think those two were potential medals at this competition, but yeah.
00:04:01Tough, tough for them, but we wish them well, recovery and health, as we do all of our athletes.
00:04:09It's a competition and everybody wants to see a meritocracy and see the best athletes,
00:04:13but when there's injuries and there's adversity, we always wish them well.
00:04:17Yeah, they have to prioritize their health, their physical health.
00:04:23Health is wealth, Mariam.
00:04:24That's what they say, isn't it?
00:04:26Right then, fencing bonus round.
00:04:29We have the Japanese athlete Matsumoto taking on of Great Britain, Miles Pillage, I do believe.
00:04:41Yes.
00:04:42So, Ryo Matsumoto and Pillage again in that difficult position.
00:04:46They are the bottom two athletes of semi-final A, but we've seen Anna Yurts yesterday.
00:04:51She started in 17th and made it to the finals, so never say never.
00:04:56These athletes will get two points for victory per bout.
00:05:00It's a winner-stays-on format, a reminder, so the time advantage here is with Matsumoto,
00:05:08I believe.
00:05:09Yes, so 14 seconds on the clock now, Miles Pillage is waiting for Matsumoto to make the
00:05:17attack.
00:05:18He wants to go into a counter-parry.
00:05:19Getting into, yeah, last five seconds now, Matsumoto makes a move and it is Pillage with
00:05:24that counter-attack.
00:05:25It's a counter-cart into Matsumoto, I think he was, yeah, tight for time there and just
00:05:33made an attack and it was a bit sloppy.
00:05:36Yeah, he was, kept him at distance and literally was waiting for him to make the move.
00:05:43He was expecting that move and look at that counter-parry.
00:05:53Yeah, again, Charlie, one of those strong laser runners and starting at the bottom of
00:05:57the pack.
00:05:58Again, I'm not ruling out any of these athletes, the gaps aren't that large except for Marouk
00:06:05who was absolutely flying in first place, but Charles Brown isn't a million miles away
00:06:09from ninth.
00:06:11He's only 15 seconds off of ninth.
00:06:14And we remember what happened in Ankara with Charlie Brown.
00:06:16Yeah.
00:06:17Went on a real run in the bonus round, didn't he, at the fencing?
00:06:20Seven athletes, yeah.
00:06:22Pillage and Charlie Brown, the two Brits.
00:06:25Pillage with the victory.
00:06:29Brown steps up without a win and Miles Pillage now with two to his name.
00:06:34And in that gear, honestly, it is, it's so hot out there.
00:06:38They are thankful for getting out of it and into the pool.
00:06:42They will go next, but Miles Pillage stays on, Mariam.
00:06:44Yeah, Miles Pillage stays on and again, valuable points for Miles Pillage.
00:06:49You would expect him to move up after the swim as well as one of the quickest times
00:06:53in modern pentathlon.
00:06:54I think it was 1.54 he scored in the qualifications, so he's incredibly fast.
00:07:00Could make up those 20 points easily.
00:07:02Fabian Liebig of Germany next in.
00:07:04Again, you know what semi-final is, some strong runners.
00:07:09Fabian Liebig as well, as you said, starting in 14th and it's tough to kind of predict
00:07:16who's going to make it to the finals, to be honest, but Fabian Liebig gets the job done
00:07:20and in six seconds.
00:07:23And Pillage just having a bit of a chat on the way off, probably with himself.
00:07:28You can take a look at the replays now, I'm not sure, I think it was a wrist touch, yeah,
00:07:32it was a flick, it was quick, but accurate.
00:07:38So the victory to the German athlete, Fabian Liebig stays on, Jean-Baptiste Mossier.
00:07:46Oh, again, another strong laser runner.
00:07:50What is wrong with semi-final A?
00:07:52We will be seeing battles across the field for sure.
00:07:56Jean-Baptiste, I'm telling you now, if he's starting in 18th, he's still going to finish
00:07:59up in the top nine.
00:08:00And has a bit of pedigree in the bonus round as well.
00:08:03Yeah.
00:08:04So we are underway now, Mossier, again, opening up that distance, Fabian Liebig inching his
00:08:10way forward, trying to take that counter 8.
00:08:14Mossier is going all over the place, counter 6.
00:08:17Fabian Liebig is keeping that distance in well and goes for a lunge, doesn't get it.
00:08:24Eight seconds on the clock.
00:08:25Fabian Liebig has to make a move, but Jean-Baptiste Mossier takes the high line and stops Liebig
00:08:31at one win.
00:08:32And is this the start for, and that lifts him to 10th as well, that victory, two points
00:08:38for a winner, reminder.
00:08:39Mossier, is this the start of another legendary run for the Frenchman, as you'll see.
00:08:48Very quick hands, Mariam.
00:08:50Yeah, very nimble on the pistes as well.
00:08:55Those yoga sessions have done him proud.
00:08:59All sorts of muscle groups for these modern pentathletes to stretch and warm down.
00:09:07Everything's tested.
00:09:08Such is the nature of this unique sport.
00:09:11And Lin Binjiang of China now.
00:09:15Lin Binjiang on the right, left-handed with a French grip.
00:09:22Mossier has to be careful now.
00:09:24He has that length advantage, Zhang.
00:09:26Zhang just waiting for Mossier to make his attack now.
00:09:30He knows if the time ticks down, it is his touch.
00:09:32Ten seconds on the clock.
00:09:33I think Zhang's going to go down low as Mossier goes for a flush, but we'll see.
00:09:38Zhang is casual here.
00:09:39Three seconds on the clock and Mossier right at the end there.
00:09:42I want to see the replays of that.
00:09:44I was focusing more on Zhang.
00:09:46I thought he was going to go for a duck, but Mossier planned that and strategized that
00:09:50well, timed it perfectly.
00:09:52Look at that.
00:09:53Yep.
00:09:54Bending off the blade.
00:09:55Look at that.
00:09:56Count of six and a flick on the back.
00:09:59The crowd's enjoying it as well.
00:10:02Yeah, Rebecca Castaldi, one of the female athletes of the French team.
00:10:09Tashidu Sato of Japan.
00:10:12Sato.
00:10:22So, Jean-Baptiste Mossier now with two.
00:10:37We know that when he gets a little bit behind him, he can turn two into considerably more.
00:10:42Sato on the back foot, a little abut.
00:10:45Gets the touch and gets the win, Mariam.
00:10:47Yeah, I think that was the kind of strategy that Lin Minjiang was hoping to adopt as well,
00:10:56but Tashidu Sato was quick on that duck and Mossier was a bit too hasty with that flush.
00:11:02Was a larger distance than he would have hoped for.
00:11:08So Mossier settles and Sato remains on the piste.
00:11:19Matej Luks, check.
00:11:33So moving up the order quite nicely, we're in our top 10 now, Matej Luks.
00:11:39And this is where things get interesting.
00:11:41All these athletes are separated by just 10 seconds, all the way to the top.
00:11:45So it's some extra points they can gain here on the bonus round.
00:11:52Sato with the win so far.
00:11:53Look at that, getting scrappy.
00:11:55He's trying to distract his opponent, but he's moving closer ever so slightly.
00:12:01Yes, it is for Sato.
00:12:04Big shout there at the end.
00:12:07Sato, by the way, is one of those athletes that gives himself that extra nudge with a big shout
00:12:12at the beginning of everything, except for the fence.
00:12:13So the fence, he puts on his mask, he goes and then starts the fence.
00:12:17And when he gets the touch, he does it again.
00:12:19And before the swimming and you'll see it before the laser.
00:12:21And so it gives himself that extra push and motivation.
00:12:25And yeah, it seems to be a theme with him.
00:12:27I like him.
00:12:28I like him a lot.
00:12:30Kovalchuk is next in.
00:12:36The athlete from Ukraine.
00:12:43Baby faced assassin.
00:12:52Sato with two wins here.
00:12:56Kovalchuk does have the time advantage,
00:12:59but Sato has the confidence, that's for sure.
00:13:03And he's a clever fencer as well, by all accounts.
00:13:06As we get down to 15 seconds, halfway through, Kovalchuk holding his own.
00:13:11And he's almost got the touch.
00:13:15And it goes to Sato again.
00:13:17It was an incredible foot touch.
00:13:18He stayed in the high line and then, whoop, went down for a foot touch.
00:13:21I think Kovalchuk was not expecting that one.
00:13:25Take a look at that in the replay.
00:13:26Look at that.
00:13:28And to be able to get it, I think it was on the big toe as well.
00:13:31That is pretty precise work from him.
00:13:33Yeah, well, look at that.
00:13:34Good toe calling from you, Mariam.
00:13:39So Kovalchuk in and out.
00:13:42Christopher Pax off front, next in.
00:13:44Sato with that yelp, quite a rangy athlete, Pat Mariam, quite tall.
00:14:05Yeah, quite tall, quite quick, but Sato with that momentum goes forward to flush
00:14:09and ends things at 23 seconds.
00:14:12It's four wins for him.
00:14:13And you can see that big shout coming.
00:14:16Yeah, up to ninth, moves him up the order quite nicely.
00:14:19But again, as you said, the gaps are pretty tight between these athletes.
00:14:24Ninth doesn't mean anything if you don't finish in ninth.
00:14:27Yeah, and that's why we love modern pentathlon, because it's all on the laser run.
00:14:30And the laser run will be the final, the final discipline that we will see.
00:14:36Changwan Seo next in, onto the piste.
00:14:39Let's see how this one plays out.
00:14:48Sato with four wins now.
00:14:51Significant.
00:14:53Essentially eight seconds, which adds up to one shooting series, essentially.
00:14:59Seo on the left, opening up the distance, waiting for Sato to make his move.
00:15:04He's watched the other touches and he gets the touch,
00:15:07warms his way in, it's a counter eight into Sato.
00:15:12Good job then from Changwan Seo.
00:15:14Again, one of those athletes who I think has a good chance of making it to the podium,
00:15:18but not getting ahead of ourselves because we still have the riding,
00:15:22which is, it can be a bit unpredictable.
00:15:25So especially in these conditions, Mariam, a lot of people have talked about them.
00:15:29And speaking of one of the athletes,
00:15:32I think it was Patrick Dog and Ahmed El-Gindi that were saying
00:15:35that they've actually walked the riding course.
00:15:37It is a very difficult course in terms of the other courses they've done.
00:15:40The season's very, very tight and the horses tend to be a little bit smaller.
00:15:45So going around those tight turns, they're pretty quick.
00:15:48And yeah, controlling the pace and your turns is going to be vital.
00:15:53And we see riding tomorrow.
00:15:54Benz Demeter, the Hungarian next in.
00:15:59Seo stays in.
00:16:02Two right-handed athletes as well.
00:16:04Benz Demeter looking to break out.
00:16:07But Changwan Seo gets the touch and gets two wins inside 10 seconds, Mariam.
00:16:15Yeah, that's good fencing from Seo.
00:16:18Yeah, look at that.
00:16:19No one can get past his blade.
00:16:21He's incredibly quick.
00:16:22He took two counter parries in one second.
00:16:26So that's...
00:16:28And what skill do you admire most with that?
00:16:31Is it the eyes, the reflexes, the wrist to move?
00:16:33For sure, reflexes.
00:16:34I think when you get to that level where you have to make a decision in a split second,
00:16:38you don't do it consciously.
00:16:40You have muscle memory.
00:16:41You know when the blade's coming this way, I have to go this way.
00:16:43So it's, yeah, it's all about practice.
00:16:46And that's why fencing comes with experience and years of practice.
00:16:50Gutowski of Poland in fourth at the start of the fencing bonus round.
00:17:01Changwan Seo, the athlete with the wins already under his belt with two.
00:17:10Yeah, Changwan Seo looking a bit relaxed.
00:17:13I think he's going to go for a surprising flush ball.
00:17:17We'll just have to wait and see because Gutowski is handling that distance beautifully.
00:17:21Opened up the distance and then went for a flush.
00:17:25I think Changwan Seo seems a bit frustrated there.
00:17:29Yeah, he looked frustrated, didn't he?
00:17:31Gutowski there with the win and that pushed Gutowski.
00:17:35Did that push Gutowski up a place?
00:17:37Well, it didn't, but it did close up the gap, yeah.
00:17:39And still on the piste as well.
00:17:43Another Korean taking to the piste.
00:17:46Kim.
00:17:50Talk about difficulties for nations choosing their Olympic athletes.
00:17:53The Koreans are going to have got a difficult job on.
00:17:56They do, yeah, you have Moon Tae-joon.
00:17:58The previous bronze medalist from Tokyo Olympics.
00:18:02And you have Changwan Seo, who's been in incredible form.
00:18:06And you have the likes of Sun Jin Kim, who's done really well for himself
00:18:11in the fencing ranking round and could potentially be in the finals.
00:18:15So it's a tough battle between the Korean athletes as is with other nations as well.
00:18:21Gutowski with the one win then.
00:18:24Kim with the time advantage.
00:18:26But that won't be a problem.
00:18:30Gutowski gets the touch.
00:18:33Gutowski has another win.
00:18:35And a fist pump of delight.
00:18:38Every win important to these athletes.
00:18:40A reminder, this is the semifinal.
00:18:41Top nine go through in this fencing bonus round
00:18:45on top of the ranking round that's already taken place.
00:18:49And there are 16 athletes today, not 18, for this first semifinal.
00:18:54Narrows things down as well.
00:18:56I mean, Ahmed and Muhannad are fierce competitors.
00:18:58And, yeah, just getting them away from the field and out of that competition.
00:19:03I think the other athletes would be a little bit more delighted.
00:19:07And that's Sepp next in.
00:19:11You know, the strength of the Hungarian team as well.
00:19:14Goodness me.
00:19:15Yeah, you have Sepp Chabab on your fence.
00:19:19Very strong Hungarian team, as you said.
00:19:22And that's what these World Championships are all about.
00:19:26The best of the best are here.
00:19:27And the touch goes to Sepp.
00:19:29Yeah, it's a bit scrappy at the end there, but it is a thigh touch from Sepp.
00:19:35Very focused is the Hungarian.
00:19:39He knows he has a good laser shooting, but sometimes he gets stuck on the range a bit.
00:19:44So, yeah, if he's doing well with controlling his nerves and stress,
00:19:50then I think he is definitely a shot for the finals and maybe even the medal.
00:19:58So, Marouk
00:20:04next in.
00:20:06250 points in the ranking round on top of the order as things stand.
00:20:10He's 15 seconds off of second place, so that gives him quite the gap.
00:20:15If he does manage to extend his lead more here, I think
00:20:19he's got a good chance of making it to the finals again.
00:20:22Four points up for grabs for Marouk.
00:20:26Double touch, so the clock will stop at 25.
00:20:30Is there a sword problem there?
00:20:32Yeah, just checking the angle of the sword, Sepp.
00:20:39Marouk now trying to go for a wrist touch.
00:20:42I'll leave you guys that extra bit of length.
00:20:45Very low hand.
00:20:46As you see that with a lot of French groups, it's a pretty common theme.
00:20:50You try to make an illusion of a longer distance,
00:20:54and you can see they're opening up the distance, taking a step back and
00:20:59a counter attack from Marouk.
00:21:02So four points for the individual neutral athlete.
00:21:07Extended lead actually up to 16 seconds off of second.
00:21:12How do you assess that fencing bonus round then, Mariam?
00:21:18Yeah, we have a couple of athletes who've moved up with some runs here and there.
00:21:23And given that this is a very tight field,
00:21:26I think that could go a long way in making or breaking their competition.
00:21:32So see some replays of the
00:21:38final battles and bouts
00:21:40and aggression and guile.
00:21:43Some with guile, some with aggression, some with a mixture of both.
00:21:47There are the fencing results.
00:21:50Yeah, Marouk again extending his lead over Sepp.
00:21:54And then from here on out, it is pretty congested.
00:21:57So from second to third, you have seven seconds and then one second behind this fourth.
00:22:01And it's really about that ninth place, 218.
00:22:04Keep your eyes on 218.
00:22:06And look at that in tenth place, just three seconds behind.
00:22:09Kowalczyk and Morcia, we expect to be up there as well.
00:22:13It'll be interesting to see after the swimming,
00:22:14because some of those towards the bottom are strong swimmers as well.
00:22:17So plenty to play for here in semi-finally.
00:22:19A, what letter is it?
00:22:21Let's look at some of the highlights on the fencing.
00:23:09Fencing bonus round complete for our athletes then.
00:23:14Meaning there is a short journey
00:23:17and transition from their location here, all in one arena,
00:23:22a beautiful arena here in Zhengzhou.
00:23:24You can see from the fencing arena to the swimming pool.
00:23:30I would, yeah, I'd back one of us to throw a fencing sword from one to the other.
00:23:35It's pretty close. It's not far away at all.
00:23:37And a nice pool, a temporary pool.
00:23:47But into the swimming and there's
00:23:51different qualities of
00:23:53swimmers and out there as well, Mariam.
00:23:56So, you know, it's not all over.
00:23:57The pool is where points can certainly be won and lost.
00:24:00Yeah, I mean, an athlete like Myles Pillage again
00:24:04could pull off a 10 second difference between some of the athletes
00:24:07which means 20 points he could make up.
00:24:10And that would be quite significant.
00:24:1220 points in the laser and he has a big gap.
00:24:18This is the swimming holding area for our athletes then.
00:24:20Mariam, as a former athlete yourself, what kind of chats go on there
00:24:24with coach and an athlete?
00:24:26Well, at that point, I think they're assessing where they are in the competition.
00:24:29Are they going to swim in heat one, two or three?
00:24:32And based on that, they kind of make their plan.
00:24:35Oh, am I going to be pushing harder in the pool?
00:24:36Can I afford to push harder now?
00:24:38Because will I rest afterwards or do I need to focus on my laser
00:24:42and then take a bit of effort from that swim and put it into the laser run?
00:24:48So again, you know, a lot of strategy and planning involved.
00:24:52This is a sport that's based heavily on physicality, but it's also,
00:24:57as you said before, based on the mental aspect.
00:25:00And from one discipline to another,
00:25:04the athletes obviously have that lactic acid buildup.
00:25:06They have to make sure at that last stop, right before the laser run,
00:25:10they have as much lactic acid out and flushed out of their system as possible.
00:25:15A bit of whacking of the forearms.
00:25:18Getting the muscles out.
00:25:19Give us the science then, Mariam.
00:25:21I think it's just something that we as athletes do because.
00:25:23Activation.
00:25:24I have no idea what it does, to be honest.
00:25:26I don't think there's any scientific basis.
00:25:28But yeah, it's we call it muscle activation.
00:25:31It's probably not, though.
00:25:32There is the pool, a 25 meter pool here in Zhengzhou.
00:25:37And you will hopefully, with a prevailing wind,
00:25:42get a beautiful mid swim shot from that aerial view.
00:25:49Seeing our swimmers and our athletes as they're battling it out
00:25:54a little later on, James Zandedakis is poolside with some reaction.
00:26:00Well, Becky, good to see Rebecca Langer, obviously from the German team.
00:26:05Let's start quickly by talking about yesterday.
00:26:07Tough day for many athletes, yourself included.
00:26:10Tough conditions.
00:26:11But I guess for you, good practice, hopefully
00:26:14for the Olympics coming up in around eight weeks time.
00:26:17Yeah, of course.
00:26:18I still hope that I'm qualified.
00:26:21Once we had a training camp in Paris, there was a heatwave, a crazy heatwave.
00:26:25So I think this is a good preparation for there.
00:26:28Yeah, I think for a lot of these athletes, it's good preparation in many ways,
00:26:31isn't it?
00:26:31The heat is, OK, tough to compete in here.
00:26:33But, you know, one or two things can happen, can't it?
00:26:35It's either cooler in Paris and then you're in a better condition
00:26:38because it's cooler weather and it's easier to compete in.
00:26:40Or it's warm and you're used to the heat.
00:26:42Yeah, of course.
00:26:43I really hope it's a little bit cooler.
00:26:44It's nicer to run and swim when it's a little bit nicer from the air.
00:26:48But I think they do everything they can here with some water around.
00:26:53And yeah, it's OK.
00:26:55I mean, talking about water, we are about to go into the swimming, aren't we?
00:26:59I think probably a bit of a relief for a lot of the athletes
00:27:01because they get a chance to cool down.
00:27:02But equally, you've got to make sure you swim well.
00:27:04What have you found swimming like here in Zhengzhou?
00:27:08Actually, the pool is not too bad.
00:27:10It's maybe not the best pool I've been in, but the water is really nice.
00:27:15And as you said, it's really nice to jump into a little bit cooler water
00:27:19at this heat.
00:27:20And we're here at men's semifinal A.
00:27:23A lot of people have been saying men's semifinal B could be even more difficult
00:27:26to get out of.
00:27:27I think a similar case with semifinal B yesterday.
00:27:30But equally, it's it's just tough all around, isn't it?
00:27:32Because you've got the best athletes in the world
00:27:34competing in the best competition in the world.
00:27:36And actually, many people will say World Championships is the hardest
00:27:39competition to do well in, isn't it?
00:27:41Yeah, of course.
00:27:42Even like you have to see this is an Olympic season.
00:27:45Everyone is in their best shape, so it's really hard to compete.
00:27:47And I'm always saying you have to work with what you have.
00:27:50You cannot change.
00:27:51So if you have the really strong semifinal, everyone has the same.
00:27:55And if you have the less good semifinal, then everyone's the same.
00:27:59Like you just can work with what you have.
00:28:02How much focus do you think is on Laser Run here?
00:28:03Because I mean, listen, fencing bonus round is what it is.
00:28:06If you put together a run like you did once upon a time, 13 victories,
00:28:09the world record, then obviously that's big points.
00:28:11We saw Jean-Baptiste Mossier getting, I think it was 11 victories
00:28:16in the World Cup final.
00:28:17Yeah, really good.
00:28:18But equally, swimming is such an important part of the competition.
00:28:20But people are holding back.
00:28:22Is there a lot of emphasis on Laser Run or do you still have to focus
00:28:25on each individual discipline and give it the respect it needs?
00:28:28I think it depends on what kind of athlete you are.
00:28:32But I think I try to get as many points as possible in the fencing
00:28:35because it's like an easy point to get.
00:28:38Swimming, I just try to make like 85 percent, maybe 90,
00:28:41and then running everything you have, because yeah,
00:28:44everything happens in the Laser Run.
00:28:46Certainly does.
00:28:47So much is won or lost on that running course, especially in the shooting ranges.
00:28:50We've seen with so many athletes this year.
00:28:52We've heard some athletes say the final 50 meters, the final 25 meters.
00:28:56That's when they hold back in swimming because they're trying already
00:28:59to think about Laser Run and trying to hold back a bit at the end
00:29:02to increase that recovery time.
00:29:04Is that something you'd do?
00:29:05Yeah, I tried to swim a good first hundred
00:29:07and then I just tried to keep on the pace, not to overpace.
00:29:11So no end sprint for me.
00:29:12I keep the end sprint for the running.
00:29:13And in terms of what you practice for swimming, obviously,
00:29:16when you're not at competitions you're working on,
00:29:18is that something you put a lot of practice into to try and increase
00:29:21your swimming time?
00:29:22We do a lot of threshold and a lot of race pace stuff.
00:29:25So, yeah, we try to run, to swim with as much lactate as possible.
00:29:30OK, well, you'll probably be able to see in a moment the athletes
00:29:32walking behind there, which means we're going to be building up
00:29:35to the start of swimming.
00:29:35Charlie Brown giving us a wave in the background.
00:29:37Any athletes from this seat keeping an eye on Mars Pillage
00:29:40is always a quick swimmer, isn't he?
00:29:41Yeah, he is.
00:29:42And also I think Fabian Liebig is there from Team Germany.
00:29:44So I'm rooting for him.
00:29:45And yeah, it will be fun to watch.
00:29:48He's a quick runner, Fabian, as well, by the way, isn't he?
00:29:49He is crazy fast.
00:29:51All right, listen, thanks for your time.
00:29:52And I hope you enjoyed yourself in your training camping career.
00:29:54Good to see you back.
00:29:55And we'll, fingers crossed, hopefully see you at the Olympic Games.
00:29:57Thank you so much. Thank you. Bye.
00:30:00James Zanadakis, poolside with Rebecca Langer.
00:30:03And oh, there's our favorite shot as well, by the way, Mariam.
00:30:06You can see, folks, the envelope in the end of the stadium.
00:30:08Mariam and I adore that.
00:30:10I think it really opens you up into the city.
00:30:13A few interesting talking points coming from that interview, as our judges
00:30:17and officials are welcomed towards the pool.
00:30:19Threshold training for the uninitiated.
00:30:22What's threshold training and swimming?
00:30:25Well, basically, you try and increase your maximum.
00:30:28And so when you're not going as fast, you have one,
00:30:33a lot less lactic acid building up in your system
00:30:35and you don't move to anaerobic respiration as much.
00:30:39So it's increasing the capacity of the athlete and the speed in the athletes.
00:30:43So you don't have to give 100 percent in the swim.
00:30:46So you're not putting more oxygen in the balloon.
00:30:49You're making the balloon bigger.
00:30:50Yeah, basically interesting
00:30:53that Rebecca said this is good training because potentially Paris is going to be hot.
00:30:57Now, it's not going to be as hot as this, but some of that
00:31:00you can see the star list for heat one of the men's semifinals there.
00:31:05Paris and Europe in the summer, we can have some serious heatwaves out there.
00:31:10An interested approach, Rebecca said, well, it could get us ready.
00:31:13Yeah, it could be.
00:31:14So if it's cooler, then good for them.
00:31:16They already have the practice.
00:31:17And if it's similar to this weather here, then they've already competed
00:31:21in this weather, so they're very familiar.
00:31:24And our athletes with what looked like ice, water, ice.
00:31:30But the most beautiful part of that was the universal.
00:31:33I think male forgive me if females do it as well.
00:31:36Marion, forgive me.
00:31:37James Anadakis did this to me last night.
00:31:39It's just a little an encouraging patch, shall we say.
00:31:44Go on, son. There you go.
00:31:45Can be on the shoulder, on the back or sometimes you might miss
00:31:49maybe on the bottom
00:31:50encouragement from fellow athletes.
00:31:53I love a bit of that.
00:31:55Miles Pillage, then the first athlete to be called, given the big build up.
00:31:59He was definitely pushing this one.
00:32:00He has this faster swimming time and
00:32:04National Lottery emblem on his sleeve.
00:32:06So in the UK, our National Lottery, the main funding for Team
00:32:10GB comes from the National Lottery.
00:32:12National Lottery, you play every week and you might win five million pounds.
00:32:15You're not going to, but you might.
00:32:16But the money goes towards our athletes and actually in the UK,
00:32:19we're really pleased that that's where it goes.
00:32:21It's a really good investment in sport.
00:32:23Lee Big next in then.
00:32:26Charlie Brown is going to be quick.
00:32:28Marion, we look down.
00:32:29Charlie Brown, 157.
00:32:31Miles Pillage, 153.
00:32:33The Brits in the pool are strong.
00:32:35Yeah, all coming from a swimming background.
00:32:37So that's their strong suit, swimming.
00:32:39Yep. Matsumoto of Japan
00:32:44in lane four.
00:32:45And I think we're only going to have four athletes in this heat, Marion,
00:32:48because of the unfortunate withdrawal.
00:32:51And again, we wish them well of the two Egyptian athletes.
00:32:54So, yeah, if you're in there and there's only four,
00:32:58it's changed much.
00:33:00And you really focus on your own swimming.
00:33:02You don't look around because, again, it's you against the clock.
00:33:04Even if you beat someone in your heat, you could be falling back
00:33:07from the heats who are going to be swimming later on.
00:33:10So you just want to focus on your own performance.
00:33:12And yeah, you've been training for this moment.
00:33:15And I don't think if you don't have the training for something,
00:33:17that you're going to go faster.
00:33:19We think keep your eyes on lanes one and three here.
00:33:27And in they go.
00:33:28Look at that aerial shot.
00:33:30That is a beauty.
00:33:32And already in lane one, Miles Pillage flying.
00:33:35Charlie Brown got a start.
00:33:38Not maybe the start he would have been hoping for,
00:33:40but Miles Pillage already 15 seconds in.
00:33:43Mariam Omar is flying.
00:33:45Yeah, he's looking incredible in that pool.
00:33:47Charlie and Fabian have a little battle of their own now.
00:33:50And I think Miles is holding out on his kicks a little bit.
00:33:53Maybe he's going to start increasing that as the swim progresses.
00:33:57But yeah, there's definitely an alternating
00:34:02effort put in from the arms and then the legs.
00:34:05So it's not to burn yourself out mid-race.
00:34:08There is the gap that you just saw.
00:34:10Miles Pillage is blessed with the time he spent.
00:34:13You can see it in that shot, actually.
00:34:14Look at his shoulders and his look at that. Wow.
00:34:18He doesn't miss a day in the gym, that boy, does he?
00:34:19That strength in the shoulders and his back.
00:34:22Very, very strong athlete, Miles Pillage.
00:34:24And he's utilizing all that strength in the pool here.
00:34:26And Mariam Omar, this is quick.
00:34:28This is incredibly quick.
00:34:30It's a 50 second time for his first 100 meters.
00:34:33And he's looking...
00:34:34He could go under 150.
00:34:37I think that's going to be
00:34:39a bit of a tough ask, because the second 100 meters
00:34:42is usually slower than the first one.
00:34:45May have backed off a bit, actually.
00:34:47Yeah. May have backed off. Quite right.
00:34:49But again, when these athletes
00:34:51do give a little less in the pool, they focus on the fine, fine details.
00:34:55So their turns, making sure they're utilizing that push off the wall,
00:34:59making sure
00:35:01they're doing their starts well, their underwater kicks well,
00:35:04because that doesn't take much effort,
00:35:06but it does do a big, big impact in your overall time.
00:35:10And look at that time already as he heads to the final few meters now.
00:35:14So let's see how it will be.
00:35:16It won't be under 150.
00:35:17And he's backed off a little bit.
00:35:19You've got to say, Pillage, a little bit.
00:35:20But in he goes, he's going to get under that two minute barrier.
00:35:23157, that is quick.
00:35:26His counterpart from the UK, Charlie Brown,
00:35:28will come in in second position around the two minute mark.
00:35:32And they're still under the two and a half by a stretch, Mariam.
00:35:36Yeah, they're looking strong in this first heat.
00:35:39Again, the athletes are not ordered by
00:35:43the fastest swimming times.
00:35:44They're ordered by their ranking points in the
00:35:47in the fencing and bonus round combined.
00:35:50You can see that push off the start block as Miles Pillage
00:35:54really puts a lot of force and energy into that.
00:35:58He did. Talking of swimming,
00:36:00I saw some incredible swimming pictures from from earlier on in this competition.
00:36:05I think in the women's semifinal, a potentially on Instagram,
00:36:10you see the one where there looks like there's a halo of water over the athletes.
00:36:12Yeah, just breaking the water.
00:36:14Oh, goodness me. Yeah. Class.
00:36:16So there are the finishes for heat number one in the pool
00:36:21and the listing classification there.
00:36:23That is the leaderboard.
00:36:24But of course, that's going to change somewhat as we have heat two and heat three.
00:36:28This all ahead of the laser run.
00:36:32The laser run will be our final event.
00:36:36Yeah, speaking of the inaction shots, Nuno Gonzalez, our photographer,
00:36:39is incredible at catching those moments as we take a look at the athletes
00:36:43will be swimming in heat.
00:36:44Number two, Pat Saito, Kowalczyk, Morcia, Lukes and Zhang.
00:36:49Six athletes in this second heat, second of three heats.
00:36:54Kowalczyk in lane three looks like on paper, Mariam.
00:36:57He's got the quicker time.
00:36:59Two minutes. Forty nine is best in the last 12 months.
00:37:01The rest are pretty close to each other, to be honest.
00:37:04Christopher Pats coming in with a towel over his head, shading him from the sun.
00:37:09It is approaching three thirty here in Zhengzhou in China.
00:37:15The sun showing no sign of abating the Japanese team.
00:37:18Saito comes in and the Chinese sun is hot out there today.
00:37:22So the athletes doing their best.
00:37:27Kowalczyk already got his jacket half off.
00:37:35The heavy rock as well.
00:37:37Heavy rock walk on, I like that.
00:37:40Jean-Baptiste Poussiere.
00:37:47He's in a good position now, but he will drop down after the swim.
00:37:50But knowing him, he will definitely make up that time.
00:37:56Matei Lu is coming out with attitude. Yes.
00:37:59Look at that confidence. Yeah, it's a catwalk.
00:38:04And the Chinese team represented by Zhang and Zhang.
00:38:08Again, a relatively easy walk in.
00:38:15And a chance for our athletes then
00:38:18to get ready.
00:38:20A bit of water on the on the blocks to keep it cool.
00:38:23Yeah, it's scorching hot out there and the blocks really get heated.
00:38:27So a bit of water on that cools them down.
00:38:31Trying to get a bit of blood to their pecs here.
00:38:34By the way, normally what they do is they take the towel
00:38:37and wipe off the blocks from the water.
00:38:39But here it's so hot that the water basically evaporates in a second. Yeah.
00:38:46So ready for the start of heat two then here in the men's semifinal.
00:38:54Take care of us.
00:38:57If they go quite a deep dive from Christopher
00:39:00Pat in lane one, but our athletes, we think these are going to be
00:39:04relatively close together, closely grouped here, Mariam.
00:39:07Yeah, it's not going to be quite as fast as heat number one.
00:39:10But again, those athletes will be trying to get the best time possible again.
00:39:16Yeah.
00:39:16Kovalchuk, I think it's going to be Kovalchuk turning at the wall first.
00:39:20Lukes is going to be there or thereabouts as well, I think.
00:39:23I think Lukes is going to be turning first after Mariam.
00:39:25Yeah, Lukes and Kovalchuk are both
00:39:30both neck and neck.
00:39:31But again, a reminder, these athletes are against the clock here.
00:39:37Yeah, again, at this point, as we said before in the first heat,
00:39:40it's all about the turn.
00:39:41It's all about the fine details.
00:39:43Whatever you can do without exerting too much effort
00:39:47is something that you want to focus on.
00:39:49And probably that's what they were talking about with their coaches.
00:39:52Focus on your start.
00:39:53Focus on your underwater kicks.
00:39:55Focus on your turns.
00:39:56Don't get too close to the wall.
00:39:57Don't, obviously, turn from afar.
00:39:59And these athletes, I think, have that down at this stage.
00:40:02Yeah, Lukes is the leader at this point in
00:40:07at the top of your shot.
00:40:09You can see that
00:40:11as our athletes.
00:40:14Penultimate turn.
00:40:17So approaching the 150 meter mark now, Lukes
00:40:22so very much in the lead.
00:40:24Matej Lukes hasn't really been appearing this season,
00:40:28and so it's good to see him do well here.
00:40:30Krzysztof and Pat Kovalchuk in second and third.
00:40:34Yeah, final turn as they head to the wall now.
00:40:38Lukes, I think, pulling away from the rest of the pack.
00:40:41Lukes is going to win this one for what it's worth.
00:40:43Lukes is going to win this one for what it's worth.
00:40:47The Czech athlete, that's for sure.
00:40:48But close in behind Krzysztof Pat, not a million miles behind.
00:40:53But it's the Czech hat of Lukes
00:40:57who's going to take the take, as it were.
00:40:59And it's 2.03. It is slower than he won.
00:41:01We expected that by about three seconds.
00:41:04And Pat comes in second and Kovalchuk in third.
00:41:08I think this is actually a personal best for Matej Lukes.
00:41:10He had a 2.03.69, now he's got a 2.03.37.
00:41:16So good swim from him, even though it was slower.
00:41:19And then the first heat, it's about you against the clock.
00:41:21And so I think he'd be proud of that time.
00:41:23Well, it's a good time to be doing a PB in the World Championship semis.
00:41:27It's a good time to peak.
00:41:29Yes. Yeah.
00:41:30And this, of course, all ahead of August in Paris for the Olympic Games
00:41:35that promise to be a spectacular Olympic Games in France
00:41:39for those athletes who, on their merit,
00:41:43have managed to be selected by their nations
00:41:46for attendance at the Paris Olympics.
00:41:50Still battling out for places.
00:41:52A pleased Lukes.
00:41:56There is the shakedown after heat two,
00:41:58but we still do have heat three to take place.
00:42:00But look at Miles Plage, moved all the way to the top now.
00:42:04He's, yeah, past everyone in heat number two
00:42:08who were higher up in the order than him.
00:42:10So it goes to show just how much a swim can impact your score.
00:42:15And it really is a strong swim from the Brit.
00:42:17And I think if you wanted to, you talked about
00:42:20and I'm fascinated by this part of the sport, Marion, the
00:42:22what do you put in the tank?
00:42:23What don't you put in the tank?
00:42:24But he had he had another couple of seconds in him if he needed to.
00:42:26We can see in the last hundred.
00:42:27He definitely dropped down a gear, didn't he?
00:42:30Yeah. Start list then for heat three.
00:42:32Marouk, Sepp Kim.
00:42:36With Potocki as well.
00:42:38Demeter and Sayo.
00:42:39Yes, we have six athletes here, so that means Miles Plage
00:42:42has essentially moved up from 16th to 7th place
00:42:46just on that swim.
00:42:49Moved up nine places just from the swim.
00:42:52Impressive. Very impressive.
00:42:56Of course, for Super Saturday tomorrow, the final
00:42:58we will have riding incorporated into the event.
00:43:02As our athletes, again, are given the big build up
00:43:06and then they come.
00:43:11And it's fascinating to see the athletes from
00:43:14the second heat in their swimming kit running down the side of the track,
00:43:18trying to get into their running kit as quickly as they can.
00:43:21Yeah, actually, some of them are making it to the range now.
00:43:27Yeah. Our athletes again.
00:43:31Oh, we've got a pair of headphones from Gutowski.
00:43:36Pre-race tunes to get on.
00:43:39What would be your preference of music genre to get you built up, Marouk?
00:43:43If you could, if you had to, what would it be?
00:43:45It has to be fast paced.
00:43:47Definitely fast paced, yeah.
00:43:49A bit of drum and bass, a bit of rave.
00:43:51Maybe. Maybe some rock.
00:43:53Oh, I love that.
00:43:54Heavy metal.
00:43:55Yeah, a bit of ACDC.
00:43:57Changwan Sayo, the final athlete in this heat number three.
00:44:01These are our top six athletes as of now.
00:44:04So they are aware as well that heat one was quick, I would imagine.
00:44:12And so, yes, they're against the clock,
00:44:13but they've seen the clock already for heats one and two.
00:44:16Heat two, three seconds slower, as we can see.
00:44:20Gutowski getting some water on his blocks.
00:44:23Let's hope he remembers to take those headphones off.
00:44:25Goodness me, that's a bucket.
00:44:27That's a bucket of water on that start block.
00:44:29Yeah, Changwan Sayo really making sure
00:44:32that he doesn't have any burnt toes from that start block.
00:44:39Heat three.
00:44:43And in go.
00:44:51In go our athletes, and they are neck and neck.
00:44:53And this one, again, looking at the times, Mariam, they are pretty tied.
00:44:56In fact, the winner of four of these athletes less than the second
00:45:00separates them.
00:45:01So they know that the first heat was quick.
00:45:05It's 201 is the average for four of these athletes,
00:45:08and they know that heat one was
00:45:11157.
00:45:15Yeah, Kim is currently leading the way, but not by too much.
00:45:20These athletes are pretty much neck and neck now.
00:45:23They head to the turn, turn on the wall and approaching
00:45:28the 100 meter mark halfway.
00:45:32The metronomic stroke as well.
00:45:36And you talked about muscle memory earlier on, Mariam, this the swims
00:45:39really are muscle memory at its very best, aren't they?
00:45:42Yeah, it's all about elongating the stroke.
00:45:44For me, some people prefer to go fast, but the 200 meters
00:45:50that can actually burn you out quite quick.
00:45:53You want to make sure there's rhythm.
00:45:54You want to make sure that you're breathing properly.
00:45:56It's not an all out sprint because 50 meters, 100 meters.
00:46:00You might limit the amount of breaths you take during the 200 meters.
00:46:03That's going to backfire.
00:46:04You need that oxygen in your muscles so they don't cramp up.
00:46:09So they will take a breath every every other stroke.
00:46:14That's what they do as they head now to the 150 meter mark.
00:46:18Final 50 meters now for these athletes.
00:46:20Korea lead in the way with two of their athletes.
00:46:23Kim and Seo.
00:46:28Look at the breaths from Kim, as you just said,
00:46:30it's always on the right hand and always taking enough
00:46:35and enough oxygen as he heads to the final few meters now.
00:46:38And his mouth is within an inch of the water as well.
00:46:40That's what they perfect.
00:46:41And they'll break the tape around two meters at two minutes.
00:46:44It's quick. Kim and Seo first in.
00:46:47Personal best as well from Kim
00:46:51Seo and Demeter second and third.
00:46:54So it was a quick one. It was a quick heat.
00:46:56And we'll have a look in a few moments time what that's done to the leaderboard.
00:46:59But Kim and Seo of Korea,
00:47:02I think Mariam Amur will be very pleased with their performance there.
00:47:05Yeah. Kim especially, I think, has a new PB now.
00:47:08So it's good to see them set records in this one.
00:47:11We haven't seen that in a long time.
00:47:13These athletes have really been holding back in the pool.
00:47:17Yeah. Impressive.
00:47:20Impressive performances from all of our athletes.
00:47:26Yeah, I think, do you think
00:47:29Miles is going to move into the top six after this heat we've had?
00:47:33Yeah, possibly the final athlete over the line.
00:47:37There was a bit of a gap, wasn't there?
00:47:39So I think there's a chance for for Miles Pillage to move in.
00:47:44But there's no doubt that it was Korean dominance.
00:47:47Yeah, that's for sure in the pool in heat three.
00:47:50And that's a welcome respite temporarily
00:47:53with the water in the pool.
00:47:56And they are the total points following the swimming.
00:48:00And it's close.
00:48:01A reminder that ninth qualifies you for Saturday's final tomorrow.
00:48:05Saito in that ninth position of 514.
00:48:09But as you rightly pointed out yesterday, we had an athlete
00:48:11who came from 17th to qualify in the top nine.
00:48:14514 is a tie.
00:48:17Yeah, Matthew Lukes, two points behind Kovalchuk as well.
00:48:20Yeah, joint ninth.
00:48:22And yeah, I think any one of those athletes in the second page
00:48:26will be able to move up if they keep things calm in the shoot.
00:48:31Yes. And that is the next event for us.
00:48:33But let's take a look back, shall we, at some of the highlights
00:48:35of the swimming event.
00:49:17That's the swimming, the swimming discipline over.
00:49:20And now our athletes are preparing for the laser run,
00:49:25the laser run, which we will have a start list for in a few moments time.
00:49:29But the format for the laser run is it is a handicap start.
00:49:33Five laps of this 600 meter track.
00:49:35And it is a first pass the post scenario.
00:49:38They enter the shooting range for the first time.
00:49:41And they're going to be able to get a good start.
00:49:43First pass the post scenario.
00:49:44They enter the shooting range four times.
00:49:49Requiring five targets from 10 meters within 50 seconds,
00:49:53if it is 50 seconds or more, they have to leave the range after 50 seconds
00:49:58and they continue their lap first pass.
00:49:59The post is the winner, as it were.
00:50:03But no prizes for first, second and third today.
00:50:06That's tomorrow.
00:50:07It's top nine that are vitally important to get you through to
00:50:11Super Saturday and the final of this world
00:50:15pentathlon world championships here in Zhengzhou.
00:50:19And it's fair to say, Mariam, that the ninth places are still wide open.
00:50:23Yeah, absolutely.
00:50:24Again, this is a very tight field and we've seen some surprises
00:50:27yesterday with the women as we
00:50:30walk you guys through the course.
00:50:32We do. Yes, we strapped the camera. Here we go.
00:50:34Let's let's have a look at the course.
00:50:36This is an athlete's point of view.
00:50:38Running here is Patrick Dogg, who kindly did this for us
00:50:42and visits the range, Mariam.
00:50:44Yeah, we don't visit it in the formation lap,
00:50:47but just to show you guys how things go here, you can see the shooting.
00:50:53They have to
00:50:56get five green lights in order to head away in the range,
00:51:00out of the range, sorry.
00:51:01And for a demo, he hit five of five.
00:51:04He's incredible in the shooting and no pressure.
00:51:06There's no pressure there.
00:51:08And I think all the athletes, if they had no pressure on their backs,
00:51:11they'd be shooting well.
00:51:13And here is Patrick, then, who described the course and said that the turns
00:51:16are clearly done in qualification and unfortunately failed to qualify
00:51:19the German, but said that the turns are very, very tight.
00:51:23Yeah. So and tight they are.
00:51:26This is where a lot of the passing goes.
00:51:27There is a spray on the right hand side.
00:51:29Somebody wanting a high five as well from Patrick Dogg, which
00:51:33I've done some research since and I've discovered that
00:51:35everybody on the planet has high five Patrick Dogg.
00:51:38Nobody, nobody misses a high five with Patrick ever offered.
00:51:42Everyone wants to tick off a high five with the main man over the line.
00:51:45He goes. And that is the course.
00:51:47One thing that camera doesn't do, Mariam, is it doesn't describe the heat
00:51:51out there that the athletes go through.
00:51:52But a bit of it is in shade.
00:51:54Yeah, that's that's going to be a big plus.
00:51:57But if all the athletes are going to be shooting in the sun,
00:51:59then it's a level playing field because
00:52:02the rest of the shooting range will not be
00:52:06used for this semifinal.
00:52:08So the portion of the range
00:52:11that is in the shade is will not have any athletes in it.
00:52:14So it is a level playing field.
00:52:15And I think with semifinal B, it's all going to be in the shade.
00:52:18So again, all the athletes have the same conditions to compete.
00:52:23As an athlete, that's what you want, right?
00:52:25Yeah. Just to be the same.
00:52:27No advantage for anybody.
00:52:28And that's certainly the case here.
00:52:30So 12 minutes until we start.
00:52:31Our athletes just doing some warming up, just ensuring
00:52:34that they are activated and they are ready to go.
00:52:38They have another 12 minutes.
00:52:39And we saw a really good swim from the British athlete, Miles Pillage,
00:52:43who has pushed himself up to seventh place.
00:52:47I think we established it.
00:52:47We seventh place for Miles Pillage.
00:52:49Are we getting any starts?
00:52:51To start.
00:52:56And Pillage
00:52:58with his counterpart,
00:53:00Charlie Brown.
00:53:03Brown's going to start a little lower down, it's got to be said, but
00:53:07Kovalchuk will be there or thereabouts as well.
00:53:10That's that's for sure.
00:53:11We'll start in 11th.
00:53:13But the laser run from the women's semifinals yesterday, Mariam,
00:53:16if the men were watching the women's semifinals yesterday,
00:53:19what might they have learned?
00:53:21No matter where you're starting on the grid,
00:53:23you still have a chance of making it to the finals.
00:53:25And you're a testament to that.
00:53:28And if you are starting at the top of the grid, you're still not safe.
00:53:32So you have to put in the effort for at least the first two
00:53:36laps of this race.
00:53:37And then maybe you could take a step back, judging on where you are.
00:53:42Yeah, but we've said time and time again not to be repetitive,
00:53:44but semifinal A has some strong laser runners
00:53:48and they're all within, I think, 20 seconds of each other.
00:53:52So we'll see the start list as it comes up. But
00:53:56yeah, I think this is going to be an interesting race.
00:53:59And I think that battle for ninth will be finalized at the end.
00:54:04Interesting that the
00:54:06pistols are being shaded as well as the numbers attached.
00:54:10James Anderdakis is trackside for us.
00:54:16Well, Sam Currie, formerly,
00:54:20well, not formally, still an athlete.
00:54:22It's a great intro to this, isn't it?
00:54:24Listen, congratulations, firstly, on being elected to the Athletes' Committee.
00:54:27I say formerly an athlete because you were obviously competing yesterday,
00:54:30formerly part of this competition.
00:54:31But firstly, congratulations on your election.
00:54:34Yeah, thank you.
00:54:34You're not rid of me yet with a formerly athlete.
00:54:38But yeah, thanks very much.
00:54:39Thrilled about my election to the Athlete Committee.
00:54:41Here today under a different role, obviously looking after the British
00:54:45athletes, you've been sort of helping them out a little bit,
00:54:47which I think says a lot about you as a character, you know, competing
00:54:50obviously in qualifications here and now helping out with the rest of the team.
00:54:52I'm sure they appreciate all your efforts.
00:54:54That's very kind.
00:54:54But I think it speaks to the Great Britain team as a whole.
00:54:57You know, we're such a tight-knit unit
00:54:59and have become very close this year with all the Olympic selection.
00:55:02So I know that anyone else would do the same thing.
00:55:04Let's talk a little about the current competition,
00:55:06because I think both the British boys are in a bit of a battle, aren't they?
00:55:09Miles Pillage in seventh place, Charles Brown in 12th place.
00:55:12What are we sort of expecting from their respective relays?
00:55:15Yeah, so their swims were huge.
00:55:17So that shot Miles up, I think, six places and Charlie swam really well as well.
00:55:21So they basically both put themselves into contention.
00:55:25So as with any sort of laser on semi-final, it's all about the shooting.
00:55:28And those boys have been shooting brilliantly in training.
00:55:30So I'm sure they'll put it back into going in.
00:55:32Not both of them can go to the Olympics.
00:55:34I mean, there's no secret about it, is there?
00:55:36At this point in the season,
00:55:37you're competing as much with your teammates, but more so in many cases.
00:55:40How is that?
00:55:41Because I know you've done that in the past before in Olympic routines
00:55:43in this year as well, of course.
00:55:45What's it like when you're in this inter-team rivalry, if you like?
00:55:48Yeah, absolutely.
00:55:48I think on the outside, it's kind of a bizarre thing to say that,
00:55:52you know, we can only focus on ourselves.
00:55:54But if if not us, then we'd much rather sort of a GB member go.
00:55:58So whoever we do send to the games is going to be a medal winning opportunity.
00:56:02So you just kind of got to focus on yourself at this stage.
00:56:05And then whoever ends up going, it will be the right selection.
00:56:08And they'll get us a medal, I believe.
00:56:10It's difficult conditions here in Zhengjiang.
00:56:13It's just so hot.
00:56:14I see a fraction cooler than it was yesterday, but still what?
00:56:1736, 37 degrees.
00:56:18What's it like competing in the sea?
00:56:20I don't know if you've ever opened an oven and then look directly into it,
00:56:23but it's essentially that is the feeling when you're getting blasted
00:56:26by this heat wave.
00:56:28I know I saw it on TV yesterday and it does the heat no justice here.
00:56:32It is so hot here.
00:56:34Do you, when you cross the finish line, athletes are sprawled out on the floor.
00:56:37I knew you were gasping.
00:56:39I actually went and got you some water because you looked so out of breath.
00:56:41You're gasping for, you know, for air.
00:56:43And it just talks about what that moment's like
00:56:45because you put everything into it, don't you?
00:56:47Yeah, absolutely. It's very kind.
00:56:48I think I'd like four or five people coming around me in the water.
00:56:50So that's great.
00:56:52Yeah, it speaks to how hard these athletes are pushing themselves.
00:56:56So it's just a testament to everyone's tenacity here.
00:56:59Yeah. Just looking a bit further up, Maxima Rook in first place.
00:57:03Sunjin Kim in second.
00:57:04Bala Shep, we've got some big runners in this in this competition.
00:57:08Fabian Liebig in 14th place.
00:57:09He could be one to get in that top nine, couldn't he?
00:57:11Yeah, absolutely.
00:57:12There's I'd say even to 16, there's challenges.
00:57:15We've got Matsumoto, who's a dynamite runner,
00:57:17and it speaks to the quality of this field
00:57:20that we've both we've got Shaban and El Gendy out
00:57:22and they're still having to fight as hard as they are.
00:57:24So this is a huge semifinal.
00:57:26So exciting to watch.
00:57:27Lots of different subplots going on.
00:57:30Semifinal A is about to start with the laser on.
00:57:32Thanks for your insight. Looking forward to this one, mate.
00:57:34Yeah, I really look forward to it. Cheers, Chase.
00:57:35Good, man. Appreciate it, Sam. See you soon, mate.
00:57:39Sam Currie with James Zanadakis,
00:57:41and Sam described the heat exactly as I did to my dad.
00:57:44My dad, I was speaking to my dad on the phone.
00:57:46How's the temperature? How's the heat?
00:57:47I said to him, Dad, you know when you open an oven
00:57:50and it's hot in the kitchen, and it hits you
00:57:52when you walk out the hotel, Mariam Amur, it hits you.
00:57:56Yeah, true, true, true.
00:57:57Like a wave of heat, right?
00:57:59Cool.
00:58:00Hair dryer in your face.
00:58:01Yes.
00:58:02Limbing Zhang setting up his shooting range.
00:58:09Position, site, environment.
00:58:11And let's take a look at his stats then, shall we?
00:58:14Olympic ranking of 65.
00:58:17And they, fair to say.
00:58:20Yeah, he's got one silver medal at World Cups.
00:58:23I think that was in the mixed relays, if I'm not mistaken.
00:58:27But look at that fencing.
00:58:2811% above average and bang on average in swimming
00:58:33and 4% above average in laser run.
00:58:36So where is Limbing Zhang now?
00:58:39He's starting in 15th.
00:58:41But he is...
00:58:42How far behind? 9th, 36th?
00:58:4310 seconds, 11 seconds?
00:58:4547, 11 seconds.
00:58:47And starts 9th, finishes 11th.
00:58:49Starts 5th, finishes 11th.
00:58:50Starts 18th, 18th.
00:58:51So he's going to need to get a good start in his laser run
00:58:54and shoot well in the first trip to the shooting range.
00:58:57Yeah, it doesn't bode well for him if he keeps moving down
00:59:00because he's already in that 15th spot.
00:59:03But again, any one of these athletes
00:59:05with a chance of moving up all comes down to range.
00:59:09And yeah, we'll just wait and see who makes it through,
00:59:13but whoever makes it through has got to put on an incredible laser run,
00:59:18maybe the laser run of their lives.
00:59:20This is probably going to be more intense than the finals.
00:59:24Because of what's up for grabs.
00:59:25Yeah.
00:59:26And as we were told, without the two Egyptian athletes as well,
00:59:30it makes it arguably even tougher.
00:59:32The Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Moussier will start in 13th.
00:59:37He is two seconds ahead of the Chinese athlete Zhang,
00:59:40who we just saw.
00:59:41So the gap tonight there is nine seconds.
00:59:46I think he's going to make it through.
00:59:48OK.
00:59:48When we look at his starts and finishes in laser run,
00:59:52we'll be able to tell that a bit more.
00:59:54But look at that.
00:59:55And it's a laser run where he makes up his places.
00:59:57You can see they're six percent up,
00:59:59which makes up for the slight deficit in fencing and in swimming, Mariam.
01:00:03Yeah, looking forward to that laser run from him.
01:00:06And here we can see his laser run handicap,
01:00:09where he starts and finishes.
01:00:12Yeah, consistently moves up, starting 12th in Cairo this year,
01:00:16finished in up and forth, just missing out on medal, by the way.
01:00:19World Championship here in Zhengzhou in semi-final A.
01:00:25He's starting in 13th.
01:00:26So hopefully he can make his way up, see.
01:00:29But he does move up, doesn't he?
01:00:30You look at that stats, starts and finishes.
01:00:32And the laser run is where the Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Moussier
01:00:37definitely makes up his places, it's fair to say.
01:00:39And there he is, warming up, as it were, but staying in the shade.
01:00:44And you can understand why.
01:00:47With the red peaked cap, Moussier.
01:00:54Yeah, almost like a wind up to this guy.
01:00:56He's incredible when it comes to running.
01:00:58His feet are incredible.
01:01:00We saw that in the fencing as well.
01:01:01He's he's pretty quick on the piste.
01:01:03And yeah, about the same on track.
01:01:07Ice jacket being utilized by Liebig.
01:01:11And Liebig is one of those strong runners.
01:01:13He's starting down in 14th.
01:01:1540 seconds behind the leader, but only 11 seconds off of ninth.
01:01:21And yeah, again, this battle is wide open
01:01:25for ninth place and those top nine spots will be pretty hard to get into.
01:01:30Charlie Brown with an ice pack on his neck.
01:01:34Very needed this weather.
01:01:36Yeah. Try and get to as many major arteries as you can with the cool,
01:01:39with the ice.
01:01:40Try and get your internal organs cool and your blood cool and your skin.
01:01:44Important call as much as you can around here.
01:01:46And our athletes are using ice vests, ice packs,
01:01:50water, whatever they can, whatever they can get a hold of.
01:01:53But the leader out there, we've not mentioned a great deal.
01:01:56Mariam is Marouk.
01:01:57Yeah, he's looking good in first place.
01:01:59But again, sometimes he does struggle in the range.
01:02:02Sorry, in the running, he's actually pretty good in the range,
01:02:04pretty consistent in the range.
01:02:07So, yeah, we've seen Marlena Jowicz yesterday.
01:02:09She was consistent in the range.
01:02:11She was running well.
01:02:12And that was what secured her spot in the final.
01:02:16So if Marouk just focuses on the shoot and runs well here,
01:02:20he is definitely going to make it.
01:02:22And that's your start list.
01:02:24There is the start list.
01:02:25So, Kim, 11 seconds behind and you can see Dan tonight.
01:02:28So we will focus very much on ninth from here on.
01:02:32And we'll show you the leaders over the line.
01:02:34Of course, but ninth place is close in the target for all of them.
01:02:39And it's actually joint ninth, Mariam.
01:02:41It's 36 seconds for Luks and Saito.
01:02:43Yeah, Luks and Saito, and then two seconds behind is Kowalczyk
01:02:47and four seconds behind is Brown.
01:02:48I think it's anyone's game at this point.
01:02:50Even down to 16?
01:02:52Even down to 16, I'm not ruling anyone out.
01:02:55And that's what makes it at this stage.
01:02:57It's crazy to me that we have this level of competition
01:03:01right at the end, World Championships.
01:03:03This is the final
01:03:06final event to make an impact to your rankings.
01:03:09And not only will these athletes have a chance of a medal
01:03:11if they make it to the finals,
01:03:13but they have a chance of getting valuable ranking points
01:03:15towards the Olympic qualification.
01:03:18Our athletes just having a look at the start list.
01:03:20Kowalczyk with the sunglasses ready to go.
01:03:24And this is big for our athletes.
01:03:25This is the World Championship semifinals.
01:03:28And we are now losing the sun, which is interesting, Mariam.
01:03:32That's what the athletes would like.
01:03:34Yeah, completely in the shade.
01:03:35But it depends if they start warming up in the sun.
01:03:38It's a different setting than it would be in the shade.
01:03:42So I'm wondering how that affects the shooting.
01:03:44Most notably in the range.
01:03:46The sun does affect your position in the range.
01:03:50Sometimes you do adjust the knobs of your pistol.
01:03:55So sometimes that can affect it.
01:03:56It's not a massive difference.
01:03:58It's all day and night.
01:03:59But it's still going to be pretty interesting
01:04:01to see how that affects them.
01:04:03So our athletes will be lined up and released in handicap.
01:04:06A reminder, this is a handicapped event.
01:04:08So our starters with an important job
01:04:11to ensure that the handicapped start goes off perfectly.
01:04:15There is a penalty zone if required, but
01:04:18unlikely at this level.
01:04:22Yeah, he's just receiving some last minute instructions
01:04:25from their coaches.
01:04:26Interesting slight difference in some of the footwear.
01:04:29The majority of athletes have had spikes,
01:04:32but some have opted to change to go to orthodox running shoes.
01:04:36Regardless, away we go.
01:04:38Semi-final A.
01:04:40And semi-final A is underway.
01:04:43Marouk leads out and will have an 11 second lead.
01:04:46Kim will follow in of Correa and Balasep
01:04:49will be the athlete third out of the blocks.
01:04:53And underway we are.
01:04:56Remember, the first lap is without the pistol, Marion.
01:04:59Yeah, Kim is out.
01:05:01Sepp is out the formation lap, as you will.
01:05:04They will be running one entire lap before they head to the shooting range.
01:05:07Seyo is out. Demeter is out.
01:05:09Gutowski is out.
01:05:10And it's now up to Myles Pillage and Christopher Pacht
01:05:14who make their way off the start finish line now.
01:05:16And these athletes are just going to be coming out one by one now.
01:05:19They're pretty close together.
01:05:20You can see they're going two by two
01:05:22because they were released at the same time.
01:05:24Saito and Lukes.
01:05:26And that's that all-important ninth place.
01:05:29It's already been taken by the Japanese athlete Saito.
01:05:32I say taken, they left at the same time, in all fairness.
01:05:34So it's a very similar time.
01:05:37But the sun comes back out here in Zhengzhou.
01:05:42Mother Nature just toying with us, it would seem.
01:05:44So we will stay focused on that battle for ninth because the first nine qualify.
01:05:49And there is no further qualification.
01:05:51Tenth doesn't get a place if it's a quick time, it's ninth or nothing.
01:05:56And the athletes, again, are taking a look at the big screens,
01:05:59trying to figure out where their opponents are behind them,
01:06:01because if you look over your shoulder, you might lose a bit of time there.
01:06:04Yeah, and it's important they've got a screen on the left.
01:06:06So you might see some of the athletes here look to their left
01:06:09or as they round this, quite tight.
01:06:12You see some of the athletes taking on the outside,
01:06:14the contingent of athletes behind this ninth place.
01:06:18Yeah, the chasing pack, if you will, of ninth place.
01:06:21There's a shower here as well.
01:06:22There's a shower on the back straight that some of the athletes will take.
01:06:26I think Charlie Brown's
01:06:28decided to take it.
01:06:31Saito and Lukes are pretty much holding on together now, hasn't changed.
01:06:35Saito hasn't pulled off a lead yet.
01:06:37And they're getting closer to Miles Pillage as well.
01:06:39So he could be sucked into that battle.
01:06:41Still in the opening stages of the race.
01:06:45Indeed, Pillage then will have dropped to place.
01:06:47Christopher Pack will have overtaken and into the range
01:06:50goes our lead.
01:06:51You'll see in the top left hand side of your screen, Marouk, into the range.
01:06:55And we will call the range as we see it.
01:06:57Marouk with a lead and misses target one first time,
01:07:01but does pick up and target two and three are both hit first time.
01:07:06So Sepp comes in and this is the battle now for ninth.
01:07:09And Pillage has been dragged into it, the Brit.
01:07:11Yeah, eighth, ninth and tenth all up on your screen.
01:07:14Marouk is struggling in the range, by the way, 18 seconds so far.
01:07:16He's out of the range now, but lost some valuable time.
01:07:20Sepp is out as well. So one, two are out. Seo's out, three.
01:07:23Kim's just behind in fourth.
01:07:25So third, fourth is all about
01:07:30the rest. Demeter out in twelve.
01:07:33Negotovsky, Seo.
01:07:35And Murcia now is out.
01:07:37Murcia is up in seventh place.
01:07:40Eight seconds and Pillage just going shoulder to shoulder with Patton.
01:07:44That is the scrap for ninth.
01:07:47Yeah, look at Saito drop back now into tenth.
01:07:50Patt is in eighth and Myles Pillage is in ninth.
01:07:53Can he hold on for the rest of this race?
01:07:56Jean-Baptiste Murcia after that first shoot is already up there.
01:08:00Yeah. So there is Murcia, who you said in fairness to you,
01:08:05he will he will find it into the top nine was the shout of former athlete
01:08:10Mariam Amur next to me.
01:08:11And I think there's been a change up top as well.
01:08:14I think first place has had a chance.
01:08:16Yes, that might be up there.
01:08:18Sepp is up in first and Maruk is in second.
01:08:20But we believe that to be the place of ninth.
01:08:23And that is Myles Pillage.
01:08:25Yeah, well, he's looking strong and confident,
01:08:28but the chasing athletes will be pushing him to his limits.
01:08:31Now, Saito is getting closer.
01:08:33Mati Luks is getting closer.
01:08:34And Fabian Liebig, who started in 14th, is getting closer as well.
01:08:38And none of the athletes up top are safe because all the it's very congested
01:08:42this field and Sepp is trying to get away from the action
01:08:46that is about to go down in these remaining laps.
01:08:49So our leader heads towards the range for the second time.
01:08:54And that is ninth position and behind ninth,
01:08:58I think, is that Saito behind Pillage.
01:09:01So in go our leaders.
01:09:02Balazs Sepp goes into the range for first place at this stage.
01:09:08Maruk not too far behind him.
01:09:11And I think Sepp is there or thereabouts as well as our athletes head to the range.
01:09:16Sepp and Maruk are in there and Saito is catching Myles Pillage here.
01:09:20It looks like Sepp might come out first.
01:09:22It's a quick shoot, 7.55.
01:09:24Sepp 9.16 as well.
01:09:25That's not too bad.
01:09:27Very quick, in fact, and those two come out level pegging.
01:09:30Maruk taking a little bit longer than he may have wanted to, though,
01:09:33it's got to be said.
01:09:35Gutowski in there as well and out 12.92.
01:09:37Maruk out as well.
01:09:39Mosiah out in 10.
01:09:40Mosiah shooting very, very well from the scrap for ninth is there.
01:09:44Pat is out. Kim is out.
01:09:47And Fabian Liebig is now up into ninth,
01:09:51started in 14th and now occupying ninth.
01:09:53I was telling you that the athletes are going to have that change for ninth
01:09:57pretty much during the entire race.
01:09:59And now it's Fabian Liebig.
01:10:00Liebig is being hounded and chased by Myles Pillage.
01:10:04And Pillage has got Saito behind him.
01:10:06Look at that aerial shot.
01:10:08Oh, my goodness.
01:10:09Gold star for the aerial drone.
01:10:12I think today that shows the exact distance between these athletes.
01:10:16The clock is important, but when you can visually see it,
01:10:18that's what the athlete sees.
01:10:20The athlete sees a body in front of them running,
01:10:21and that's what they've got to close down.
01:10:23And Pillage is going to have to close that down
01:10:25because Pillage could be overtaken here, Mariam, by
01:10:29Saito just close behind him.
01:10:32But it's Liebig who's got the ninth position.
01:10:35He's going through the mist there.
01:10:36I think they're feeling the heat now.
01:10:38This is the third lap.
01:10:39And Saito, I think, is about to overtake Myles Pillage now.
01:10:43But Liebig is a tough one to get by, it has to be said.
01:10:46And that's for tenth at the moment, isn't it?
01:10:48So Saito is the athlete chasing Liebig.
01:10:51Liebig is the athlete in ninth at the moment.
01:10:54I think he's opened up that gap, actually.
01:10:56Liebig. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:10:59There is our leader, Balasep.
01:11:02I beg your pardon, that is our Liebig in ninth.
01:11:05I beg your pardon, Balasep is
01:11:08making his way to the range now.
01:11:09Into the range for visit three.
01:11:11That is our athlete in ninth, that's Liebig.
01:11:13And Liebig, as Mariam quite rightly says,
01:11:16looks to have maybe put the hammer down a little bit.
01:11:19In fact, moving through the field.
01:11:22Yeah, he's moved up into seventh.
01:11:25Is it seventh?
01:11:26Seventh now, Kim is in ninth.
01:11:27Kim overtakes Marouk as well.
01:11:29Marouk has dropped down all the way to eighth now.
01:11:31Marouk is to eighth, he's going to be in trouble here.
01:11:33So into the range they go and out the range they go as well.
01:11:36Frankly, our leaders are out.
01:11:378.52, Morcia who's shot brilliantly all three times in this semifinal.
01:11:42It bodes well for the final as and when he makes it.
01:11:44Kwiatowski out in 15.
01:11:46Pat is still in there.
01:11:47Demeter is still in there.
01:11:48Liebig out. Liebig is going to be extended.
01:11:51And out goes Demeter and out goes Pat.
01:11:53And the scrap for ninth is definitely going to be on.
01:11:55Saito with a 9.67.
01:11:58Pillage still in there.
01:11:59Brown still in there.
01:12:00Marouk out.
01:12:01It's going to be a scrap, Mariam Amar.
01:12:03Kim is in ninth.
01:12:04Kim is in ninth, but being chased down by Marouk now.
01:12:07Marouk is out of those contesting in the finals.
01:12:10As of now, he started in first and he's all the way down in tenth.
01:12:14Can Kim keep up the pace and hold on to that ninth place?
01:12:18He's being chased down by Brown, Marouk, Pillage.
01:12:22And yeah, this is a tough battle between those athletes.
01:12:25Charlie Brown, who started in twelfth as well.
01:12:28So that is the place of ninth.
01:12:29Nine go through. That place is Kim.
01:12:33Again, another athlete.
01:12:34I think it's been four athletes that have held on to nine
01:12:38in different positions in the race.
01:12:40Charlie Brown has moved up, by the way, past Marouk and past Pillage.
01:12:45And he is in tenth place, chasing down Kim now.
01:12:47And he's getting closer, it has to be said.
01:12:49Who started in second, a reminder.
01:12:51Charlie Brown takes the spray.
01:12:55To try and cool down a little bit.
01:12:56This is going to be interesting here, you know.
01:12:58They're only 0.98.
01:13:00Charlie Brown fancies this.
01:13:01Charlie Brown is going to take the place.
01:13:02This is a part of the track where overtakes are of use and are available.
01:13:08And you can see the reaction from Kim.
01:13:10There's a bit of a grit of the teeth there, Mariam Amur.
01:13:13He's finding it hard to keep up the pace with Brown.
01:13:16Brown is incredibly fast on track and the leaders are making their way
01:13:20back to the shooting range.
01:13:21And actually, Charlie Brown is opening up quite a bit of a lead down to tenth now.
01:13:26Into the range go our leaders then.
01:13:28First and second place into the range, Balaset with one from one.
01:13:31Seo in there, misses the first, but then eventually in there.
01:13:34They are first and second at this stage.
01:13:36Moussier's shot brilliantly, but misses the first target three times.
01:13:41Liebig's in there.
01:13:42Gutowski as well.
01:13:43Those are our top five athletes.
01:13:47Sepp is out the range, Seo's out the range.
01:13:49Moussier and Liebig about to leave the range as well.
01:13:52Charlie Brown goes in and this is where it's going to be interesting.
01:13:54Mariam Brown is ninth, we think, at this stage.
01:13:58Sato's being dragged into this race as well.
01:14:00Demeter, who was consistently in the top nine, I think now might drop down.
01:14:04Charlie Brown is shooting well here.
01:14:06Only has two targets, though.
01:14:09Demeter is out.
01:14:11Kim is out as well.
01:14:12Pillage is out.
01:14:14Brown is struggling here.
01:14:15He's in trouble, the Brit.
01:14:17Out comes Pillage.
01:14:18Pillage, I think, is in ninth here.
01:14:20And he looks over his shoulder, as they say.
01:14:22I shot well. Brown in 27.
01:14:24That's a struggle.
01:14:25He's got a big gap to make up, but he's going to struggle.
01:14:27He's going to be out of it from here.
01:14:29And a final lap for these athletes and Miles looks to be good in ninth place.
01:14:33A change for ninth place a couple of times in the race.
01:14:37And Charlie Brown, you can see in your background, chasing them down.
01:14:39But I don't think he's got enough in the tank.
01:14:41No, I think he's just put Kim into ninth as well as Miles Pillage.
01:14:44So is that Kim in ninth position?
01:14:46And ninth is the place that is a final to qualify.
01:14:50But he's being...
01:14:51Pillage is doing well to pull away, but being dragged into ninth could be Demeter here.
01:14:55Demeter checks his left shoulder because Kim is closing him down.
01:14:58Charlie Brown, don't write him off.
01:15:00It's a big ask.
01:15:02It's a huge ask for the Brit, but he's not giving up.
01:15:05That's true. In fact, look at Charlie Brown visually here, Mariam.
01:15:09Oh, look at that pace from Charlie Brown.
01:15:11Yeah, I don't I don't think he's giving up yet.
01:15:13Kim is in ninth.
01:15:15Yeah, closing in on Benz.
01:15:16He doesn't want to miss out on the finals.
01:15:18Charlie Brown, they make their final turn now and they head to the start finish line.
01:15:22Who's going to make it in ninth?
01:15:23I think I think it's going to be Miles and Demeter and Kim.
01:15:29Charlie might just miss out, but he is getting closer.
01:15:32Yeah, Kim's going to make it.
01:15:33I think Miles Pillage is going to make it through.
01:15:35They are your leading nine.
01:15:37And Miles Pillage is through for Great Britain.
01:15:41Charlie Brown really digging in.
01:15:42Pillage in seventh, Demeter in eighth.
01:15:44And Kim takes a final place in ninth.
01:15:48And it was all about that final trip to the range for our athletes
01:15:52as ever, and our athlete that started in first possession position,
01:15:58Marouk, is just getting over the line.
01:16:01That is devastating for him.
01:16:03But again, it happens and you can see the effort it takes from these athletes.
01:16:07Kim, by the way, is
01:16:10really feeling the heat now.
01:16:11These athletes, he'll be happy he made it to the finals.
01:16:14That was an intense last lap and a good shooting routine from him on that final shoot.
01:16:19Kim was, yeah, it was impressive, wasn't he, to hold on in that final shoot
01:16:22when Charlie Brown was close and just a 27 second final shoot from the Brit?
01:16:25You know what? Even if it was a 22 second shoot, he would have made it in.
01:16:29And that's going to hurt.
01:16:30Yeah, that is going to hurt for sure.
01:16:32Well done to Kim.
01:16:33Yeah.
01:16:35And actually, well done to Miles Pillage.
01:16:38Yeah, there were a time with the penultimate trip to the range.
01:16:41He was really struggling and as in comes Matsumoto
01:16:45rounding the bend to finishing here.
01:16:49Matsumoto for Japan.
01:16:53Matsumoto being applauded over the line.
01:16:58And it's a strong finish as well and over the line in semi-final A.
01:17:03So we'll be able to get our classified results.
01:17:05But yeah, just back to Miles Pillage.
01:17:07He in that penultimate shoot, he was struggling.
01:17:10But actually, do you know what?
01:17:11I think he did really, really well.
01:17:12He just stayed calm.
01:17:14He stayed calm.
01:17:14He knew that a few might be dragged in, Mariam.
01:17:17And he thought, if I stay calm, I stay in it.
01:17:19I backed myself and he did well.
01:17:20And he knew that Kim actually got dragged down slightly, didn't he?
01:17:24Yeah, I think
01:17:26I think the race, if it would have gone on for 100 meters more,
01:17:30I think Charlie Brown would have been in there.
01:17:31He had the pace to continue on, but just not enough
01:17:35to make it across the line in those final meters.
01:17:37Marouk was the big surprise for me, to be honest.
01:17:40That shooting isn't up to par and up to his standards.
01:17:47First to 15th.
01:17:48Hmm, that's that's going to be tough for him.
01:17:50But again, Marouk Pentathlon, that is the beauty of the sport.
01:17:54You see this all the time, the unpredictability of it.
01:17:57And you could see there was almost a trip up from these athletes.
01:18:00Yeah, from shoulder to shoulder.
01:18:01But it was all fair in love and war.
01:18:03Yeah, it's a bit.
01:18:05To be fair, there are very tight turns in this course,
01:18:08as we'll see with the finals as well.
01:18:10It's going to be tough in the riding course as well.
01:18:13It's tight all around in the stadium.
01:18:15You can see Miles Pillage just checking out the big screens,
01:18:17as you suggested during the race.
01:18:20But it was the athlete who
01:18:23started in second, Kim,
01:18:26ended up in ninth.
01:18:27Yeah, I was just going to say that whoever wins this world championship
01:18:31is going to be literally the best of the best.
01:18:33Yes, they won gold in the world championships, but they've done it
01:18:36under the most trying of conditions.
01:18:40The heat, the tight turns on the course, the tight turns that we'll see
01:18:43in the riding.
01:18:45That's really not easy.
01:18:46And since they made it to the final, they've obviously competed
01:18:50for the days before and also in the heat.
01:18:52So, you know, the champion of this competition is
01:18:56is going to be one that is very deserving.
01:19:00So you can see our athletes, and that is the athlete
01:19:02that ultimately finished in ninth position, the position, Kim.
01:19:06And Kim was overtaken by Charlie Brown coming into that final shoot.
01:19:09But Brown struggled with that final shoot trip to the range.
01:19:15Yeah, that final shoot was detrimental.
01:19:16I mean, Brown looked good in those top nine.
01:19:19But again, it all comes down to the range, as you said.
01:19:21Yeah, and Pillage got out there and Pillage did really well to hold on
01:19:24and actually reeled in Kim.
01:19:26And just what you can see, the effort that Pillage put in
01:19:29in the riding arena there and just thought, right,
01:19:31I'm going to try and get a bit of distance there.
01:19:32And you can see that distance there.
01:19:34And Pillage thought, yeah, I'm all right there.
01:19:37That's OK.
01:19:37But Charlie Brown really in that back straight, difficult to see there.
01:19:41But in that back straight, really extending his stride, over striding as well
01:19:46and worked hard, just couldn't close the gap.
01:19:49Yeah, it was too tough. And
01:19:52yeah, it's it's pretty interesting, actually, that you as an athlete
01:19:57are trying to make up points in every discipline.
01:20:00But then it doesn't really matter if you can't shoot well in the laser
01:20:02and it all comes, you can lose 20 seconds in the range.
01:20:05And that could be equivalent to 10,
01:20:0910 seconds in the swim.
01:20:10So it's 10 bonus round wins.
01:20:13Yeah. And 10 seconds in the swim as well.
01:20:16So it's you can do whatever you want to do in the other disciplines.
01:20:19If you don't have laser run
01:20:22done well and you don't have your shooting well, then,
01:20:25yeah, it's going to be difficult to make it up to the top.
01:20:28There are your nine finishes, then the important top nine
01:20:31and those benefits in Liebig for sure.
01:20:34Saito definitely making up the places, seven places for the athlete from Japan.
01:20:40And you called it right at the start.
01:20:41Jean-Baptiste Morsier, you said, Mariam, that he'll make up the places.
01:20:45Don't worry about the Frenchman. He'll be fine.
01:20:46Yeah, I made it up in the first shoot.
01:20:48He did. That is class.
01:20:51He was top class.
01:20:53Really, really impressive.
01:20:55And they are your top nine
01:20:58and the rest of your finishers as well.
01:21:01Down to 16th of the two
01:21:05Egyptian athletes, unfortunately,
01:21:08didn't didn't take part.
01:21:11I think Christopher Papp didn't finish the race.
01:21:14Yeah. You'll be able to see that Christopher Papp is OK.
01:21:20There was an injury for the Frenchman.
01:21:23It looks like a car problem, so we wish him well.
01:21:26That is semifinal A done and complete.
01:21:29Thank you for taking the time to join us.
01:21:30We'll be back with semifinal B a little later on.
01:21:33Let's check the highlights from semifinal A.
01:23:00We'll be back with semifinal B a little later on.
01:24:00We'll be back with semifinal B a little later on.
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