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UIPM 2015 Youth A World Championships: Ilke Ozyuksel has been crowned Women’s Champion

Tetrathlon

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - In a thrilling climax to the Women’s Individual Final, the young Turkish pentathlete Ilke Ozyuksel came from way down the field in the Combined Event to overtake the favourites and clinch the gold medal. Egypt’s Haydy Morsy (EGY) took silver with Anna Toth ZS (HUN) of Hungary picking up bronze, despite holding an 18 second lead going into the Combined Event.

11992418_10156261605955221_1895383947_nOzyuksel said: “I am so happy that I still can not believe. I did not have a good day in swimming and fencing so when I came to the combined I knew that I needed to do much better to make it to the championship. So this sentence stuck in my mind: do it!

“And in the last 800 meters I knew I was competing against two strong runners. I looked at my coach and he repeated the same thing to me: do it! From there I ran to the victory.”

Russia’s Xenia Fralcova (RUS) made a good start to the day with first place in the Swimming in a time of 2:14.15. Just hundredths of a second in her wake, to take second, was Salma Abdelmaksoud (EGY) in 2:14.38 followed by Spain’s Aroa Freije (ESP) in third.

On to the Fencing, and the leaderboard began to take shape with Hungarian Sarolta Simon (HUN) taking first place in the event with 28 wins out of 35. With 25 wins apiece, second place was shared by Anna Toth ZS (HUN) and Sophia Hernandez (GUA) with Brit Kerenza Bryson (GBR) fourth posting 23 wins along with Egyptian Haydy Morsy (EGY).

That left Toth ZS (HUN) leading the competition overall giving her an 18 second start on her closest rival and countrywomen Simon (HUN) heading in to the final Combined Event. 11996928_10156261711335221_109298089_nHernandez (GUA) sat in third, a further seven seconds behind Simon (HUN), with an eight second gap to Haydy Morsy (EGY) in fourth and then the smallest margin of a second to Dalila Sciarra (ITA) in fifth and the same again to Germany’s Rebecca Langrehr (GER).

There was high drama and tension in the Combined Event which provided a thrilling end to the day’s competition. Turkish Ilke Ozyuksel who had started the event way down the leaderboard put on a gritty and determined display to take the whole field by storm and clinch first place out of nowhere. Previous leader Toth ZS (HUN) finished in third with Morsy making up her 33 second handicap with a solid session of running and shooting.

Also celebrating were the Russian team who won gold in the Women’s Team event. Ekaterina Utina, Adelina Ibatullina and Xeina Fralcova stood on top of the podium alongside silver medallists Hungary (Sarolta Simon, Anna ZS. Toth and Alexandra Boros) and bronze medallists Egypt (Haydy Morsy, Salma Abdelmaksoud and Sondos Aboubakr).11995529_10156261266235221_1166501702_n

After another superb day of thrilling live action, UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “First of all I want to say that I am more than happy that so many nations are participating here.

“Today the young Turkish girl winning was a big surprise for many people but not for those who have seen her in the senior level and how strong she is in the combined event.

“Bonus Fencing was played at the first time in the Youth A World Championships and the athletes loved it. I could see the emotion in their faces.

“This first final of the Youth A World Championship in Buenos Aires was a big success for the organizers, thanks to Jorge Salas, and we are looking forward to seeing the men, mixed relay and para-pentathlon test event.” 

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