UIPM Secretary General’s Message: Our 2023 half-time highlights, in the words of UIPM Staff

The past six months has been another challenging period for our movement, but I do believe that we can find our most productive selves in the face of adversity.

I’m very proud of what the UIPM Staff team has achieved in the first half of 2023, so much so that I decided to let them do all the talking in this month’s message.

Here is a list of highlights that the staff pulled together this week, covering a recap of Q1 and Q2 and a look forward to Q3 and Q4, culminating in the all-important IOC Session in October.

We are lucky to have a dedicated team of hard-working professionals working 24/7 for the furtherment of UIPM Sports. I hope you will agree that these highlights demonstrate the great teamwork that has existed in fulfilment of shared goals ever since January 1.

First half of 2023 – highlights

• Already delivered seven Judges Certification Programme (JCP) courses based on excellent cooperation with relevant National Federations (NFs) and Local Organising Committees (LOCs)
• After the publication of numerous Obstacle publications and resources, we launched the online JCP Obstacle Module with videos as educational materials
• Already finished five Coaches Certification Programme (CCP) courses to help coaches across the world continue their personal development
• In the wider area of sports development, editions of the powerhouse Global Laser Run City Tour have taken place in 14 countries and 20 cities, with more than 4,000 participants
• Racing to catch up with the GLRCT, four Biathle-Triathle National Tours have been run in different countries, with 850 participants
• Two scholarships were awarded for elite pentathletes to study online for their postgraduate qualification in Sports Management with the World Academy of Sports
• Elite pentathlete Paolo Singh (FRA) was selected for the IOC Athletes 365 mentoring program (one of 16 selected athletes from all sports)
• Two pentathletes represented our movement at the UIPM European Youth and Sports Platform in Stockholm (SWE)
• The integration of Obstacle as a Modern Pentathlon discipline was smoothly executed at continental level in recent European Junior and Youth Championships, providing us with more confidence that young athletes change are embracing the change
• We all enjoyed the first successful continental direct qualification event for the Paris 2024 Olympics – Modern Pentathlon’s debut appearance in the European Games was a huge success with high standards across the board in Krakow (POL)
• E-Laser Run featured in the IOC’s first Olympic eSports Week, enabling gamers in Singapore to experience the latest iteration of UIPM’s esports product. This is a journey we are excited to be on!
• In Para Laser Run we have seen a 100% increase of registered athletes on the portal, building for a future with Para Triathle and Obstacle Laser Run making UIPM Sports more and more accessible
• Phased promotion of the ‘Voyage to Paris’ from end of 2022 until now, growing in intensity and creating excitement towards the Olympic Games which is now just over a year away.

Second half of 2023 – so much still to come

• Six UIPM 2023 World Championships to go, covering all six disciplines of Modern Pentathlon as well as Laser Run, Biathle and Triathle. The upcoming U17, U19 and Junior championships will further demonstrate the exciting potential of our new-look Olympic sport ahead of its full rollout at senior level in 2025
• Olympic qualification is a fierce battle which is about to go global! By November we will have seen athletes qualify through continental and global competitions in Chile, China, Egypt and Great Britain
• We are saying a big hello to the Obstacle Sports community by adding the UIPM brand to two existing World Obstacle competitions, Ninja World Cup USA and the OCR World Championships
• UIPM will continuously support NFs’ needs across all levels of sport development
• The reimagined UIPM Central App will be launching in July
• Enhanced strong storytelling around elite athletes
• Building stronger involvement around the world from athletes and NFs, as we continue to grow our NF membership family with Obstacle making the Pentathlon dream become a reality for thousands more athletes
• And it all leads to the IOC Session in Mumbai (IND) from October 15-17, when we are confident that all of our combined efforts and shared goals will be validated by the IOC’s decision on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic programme.