One team, one dream as UIPM 2025 Obstacle World Championships (OCR) ends with progress on and off field of play
- Memorable inaugural competition ends with Italians winning Team 3km gold
- Athletes say ‘see you next year’ as Beijing (CHN) kicks off four-year hosting cycle
- UIPM and World Obstacle agree on momentous steps to finalise integration
Obstacle is HERE – and it is here to stay. That was the resounding message as a successful inaugural UIPM 2025 Obstacle World Championships (OCR) came to a close at the National Olympic Sports Centre, Beijing.
On a day of exciting progress on and off the field of play, the Italian trio of Federica Toni, Loris Pintarelli and Stefano Colombo became UIPM’s first Team 3km world champions, joining an elite club of athletes leaving the Chinese capital with winners’ cheques and the pride of becoming sporting pioneers.
- Click here to read the 100m Finals report
- Click here to read the 400m Finals report
- Click here to view photography on Flickr
The UIPM Obstacle Task Force also met and agreed on momentous steps to formalise the integration of the Federation Internationale de Sports d’Obstacles (FISO) within the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) in 2026, enshrining UIPM’s status as the sole recognised governing body of Obstacle sport.
Integration update
Meeting at the conclusion of the World Championships, members of the UIPM Obstacle Task Force discussed ways to further enhance the Championships in future years as the integration of World Obstacle (FISO) within UIPM is formalised. Decisions were taken to finalise that process, including:
- The 2026 OCR World Championships in Limerick (IRL) to be the last competition overseen by World Obstacle
- A vote to be taken by the World Obstacle Congress in early 2026 to dissolve FISO
Click here to read the full joint statement issued by UIPM and FISO.
Competition summary
The incredible golden double achieved by Luke Beckstrand in the 400m and 100m was always going to be a hard act to follow, but the urban labyrinth of the Beijing Olympic Sports Centre brought out the best in the endurance OCR specialists who formed mixed-gender teams to bring the competition to a memorable close.
In the end, Toni, Pintarelli and Colombo took the spoils with a time of 38.01min, finishing 33sec ahead of the combined Danish/Dutch team of Ulrikke Evensen, Stijn Lagrand and Leon Kofoed. Bronze went to neutral athletes Tatsiana Pekhtserava, Maksim Tsimashenka and Hleb Rolia.
The inaugural competition will go down in history for Luke Beckstrand’s lightning speed and lithe movement across the courses, with his brother Kai Beckstrand never far behind; for the 400m title won by another amazing American, Tiana Webberley; for the 100m crown claimed in style by Poland’s Katarzyna Jonaczyk; for the 3km event that brought out the best in so many athletes including Egyptian Pentathlon phenomenon Farida Khalil; and for the masses of Chinese athletes who competed across all categories, showing the growing prowess of Ninja and OCR across the nation.
On a more sentimental level, it will be remembered as a week when friendships were made and maintained, when a global family of versatile athletes came together to celebrate their common talents, hopes and dreams – and when Beijing and China opened their arms to the world.
President's reaction
UIPM President Rob Stull said: “I could not be happier with the success of our first Obstacle World Championships.
“A truly epic effort by everyone involved, from the organisers to the athletes, created a memorable and historic experience in Beijing for our sports community. China has set a high bar that will resonate until the Championships return in 2026 for what promises to be an even bigger and grander event on the UIPM calendar.
“I am very grateful to the Local Organising Committee led by Mr Bin Zhang, President of the Chinese Modern Pentathlon Association, and to Mr Lin Xiaohua, Chairman of the National Olympic Sports Centre in Beijing.
“I am also extremely pleased with the progress made by the UIPM Obstacle Task Force in getting us closer to the fully integrated multi-sports community that will give athletes all over the world a clearer vision of our exciting direction of travel.
“The future is so bright for our movement, and we all have a lot to be excited about as we look ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and beyond.”
Watch and follow
Following the conclusion of the UIPM 2025 Obstacle World Championships (OCR), the final competition on the 2025 calendar will be the UIPM 2025 Biathle-Triathle and Laser Run World Championships in Mossel Bay (RSA) from December 8-13.
Visit the UIPM website to view all competition results and the latest news, and follow UIPM / World Pentathlon on your favourite social media for more content:
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