Pentathlon GB’s 2018 season starts with ranking wins for Olympic duo at University of Bath base
Reigning British Champions Samantha Murray and Jamie Cooke enjoyed more success on home soil when the University of Bath Sports Training Village hosted the first Pentathlon GB ranking competition of 2018.
Rio 2016 Olympian Cooke led from start to finish in the men’s competition, winning 27 of his 36 fencing bouts and recording the third fastest 200m freestyle swim of the day in the London 2012 Legacy Pool. He then maintained his advantage in the laser-run before sealing victory with a perfect round in the riding discipline at West Wilts Equestrian Centre.
Sam Curry also scored a maximum of 300 points in the ride to take second place ahead of MJ Church ambassador and University of Bath Mathematics student Joe Choong.
The women’s competition saw Francesca Summers lead the way with 23 victories in the fencing before London 2012 silver-medallist Murray (pictured) produced comfortably the fastest swim of the day.
A thrilling laser-run saw the lead exchange hands multiple times before Murray finally edged ahead, with Natural Sciences student Jess Varley moving up to second spot.
They maintained those positions during an eventful ride that saw Jo Muir produce the joint-best performance of the day to pip Summers to third spot.
Sunday saw Bath Pentathlon Club’s Sarah Wilson and Yorkshire Pentathlon Club’s Toby Price win their respective competitions in the National U19 ranking event.
That was also staged at the University of Bath, Pentathlon GB’s national training centre since 1998. The next ranking competitions will take place on February 9-10.
Click here to read full reports on the Pentathlon GB website.
