UIPM 2025 Pentathlon U17 World Championships: Unstoppable Khalil (EGY) storms to gold

• Egyptian wonder wins in Johannesburg (RSA) to add U17 gold to U19 and Junior titles
• Allara (ITA) makes up for 2024 disappointment with stirring silver medal
• Joy for host nation as Thomatos (RSA) seals bronze to go with Team silver

In keeping with a season that has sent statisticians scrambling through the history books, Farida Khalil of Egypt shattered more records en route to glory in the Women’s Final at the UIPM 2025 Pentathlon U17 World Championships.

The 14-year-old phenomenon who has turned 2025 into a procession at every level of the sport did just that again in Johannesburg (RSA) as Khalil (EGY) ensured that she is now the reigning world champion at U17, U19 and Junior levels to go along with her stunning breakthrough at Senior level, which saw her crowned the UIPM 2025 World Cup Final gold medalist last month.

Khalil (EGY) finished 27 seconds clear of her closest challenger, Annachiara Allara of Italy, who improved on her fifth-placed finish at last year’s U17 World Championships by taking a satisfying silver. In South Africa’s most-populous city there was joy for the host nation when bronze went to an emotional Tatiana Thomatos (RSA) thanks to a stirring Laser Run performance.

Thomatos (RSA) and her South African compatriots also celebrated a Team silver with gold having gone to Egypt while Hungary celebrated Team bronze.

MEDALLISTS' REACTION

Gold medalist Khalil (EGY) said: “I am very happy with this performance and to get a new world record in the OCR, just a few weeks after winning the World Cup Final. I will try to go to the U19 World Championships. I’m still an U15 athlete but it’s totally different between the Junior and Senior competitions. I am very excited to go to the senior World Championships too. I am aiming for a gold medal for sure. I’m training very hard for that.”

Silver medalist Allara (ITA) said: “I’m very happy. This was my best race, in Fencing, Obstacle also and Swimming too. Laser Run wasn’t the best but I’m happy to end the day with this silver medal. Last year I was fifth because I fell on the Obstacles and it was really emotional. My Fencing sometimes isn’t the best but today was really good. I’m going to the U19 World Championships next and I want to enjoy every race, every training and see what I can do. I hope the Olympics in 2028 will happen but I want to enjoy and always do my best."

Bronze medalist Thomatos (RSA) said: “I feel honoured. I feel so grateful for this moment, especially in Johannesburg, in my home country. I can’t believe it. I was aiming for top 10, I didn’t think that I could get a medal so I am very, very happy. I would say my Fencing put me in a good position. It started off a bit rocky but then it went really well. My Obstacle course pushed me up a couple of places. Swimming kept me in 11th position and my Laser Run, wow! I think it’s a really big improvement for the country getting a Team medal and I hope for many more medals. We all worked really hard for this.”

FENCING

Part of what makes Khalil (EGY) such a daunting challenge is the seeming lack of any weaknesses. Her all-around effectiveness was again immediately apparent as she racked up 28 Victories in the Fencing Ranking Round. There were impressive showings behind her as Leah Kocher of Switzerland notched 27 Victories with a tally of 25 wins for Thien-cathrin Tusche of Germany.

OBSTACLE

If it feels like records are reset almost every time Khalil (EGY) takes her mark on an Obstacle course that’s because they are. Again in Johannesburg (RSA) she broke fresh ground, her blurring time of 00:26.44 setting a new world record and earning her 366 points to really stretch clear of the field. But the next generation have made the newest discipline their own and there were three other competitors who smashed the 30-second barrier including Italian compatriots Allara (ITA) and Sara Beggio (ITA).

SWIMMING

The record-setting would prove to be more than a one-woman show as action moved to the pool. It was there where Wakana Uchiyama of Japan again showed her eye-catching speed in the water, setting a new U17 mark with an explosive time of 2:10.61, fully five seconds faster than any of her fellow 35 finalists. Inevitably, it was Khalil (EGY) who came closest in 2:15.93 while home challenger Megan Kleynhans (RSA) was third-fastest in 2:16.28.

LASER RUN

With a 36-second lead over Allara (ITA), it was going to take something wholly out of keeping with the 2025 season to stop Khalil (EGY). Instead she again proved unstoppable, crossing the line 27 seconds ahead of the field to add another gold medal to an ever-swelling collection.

The drama would provided behind the front duo with a gripping race for the third step on the podium playing out. Kocher (SUI) had started in third place with Tusche (GER) in fourth however the Laser Run prowess of South African athletes is well known. So it proved as Thomatos (RSA) moved through the gears and shot superbly to claim bronze while her compatriot Kleynhans (RSA) clocked the fastest time, a rapid 9:14.64.

Khalil’s final tally of 1452 also set a new U17 world record.

WATCH AND FOLLOW

The UIPM 2025 Pentathlon U17 World Championships concludes in Johannesburg (RSA) with the Men’s Final bringing the curtain down tomorrow, Sunday July 20.

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