UIPM 2025 Pentathlon U19 World Championships: Finals report, reaction and links
- Egypt phenomenon (14) takes third world title of ‘grand slam’ bid
- Hungarian breakthrough star (16) adds U19 gold to U17 crown
- Podium joy for Brazil as Xavier becomes first-ever youth medallist
- Irbin (ITA) wins historic first Para Tetrathlon World Championships
DRUSKININKAI, LITHUANIA: August 24, 2025 – The grand slam remains on for Pentathlon’s brightest starlet but she was far from the only talent shining like a beacon over the past four days.
As expected, Farida Khalil of Egypt continued her march towards immortality by winning gold at the UIPM 2025 Pentathlon U19 World Championships, adding the world title to those she already won this season at Junior (U22) and U17 level.
Now only the senior gold eludes the 14-year-old – and as world No.1 she is a clear favourite to add that medal to her collection on Saturday in Kaunas (LTU).
That said, competition was intense in the spa resort of Druskininkai (LTU) where Khalil (EGY) needed a new overall world record of 1,465 points to hold off a challenge from Hanna Jakubowska of Poland, with bronze medallist Amaya El-Masri of Germany also impressing in Friday’s Women’s Final.
A day later, 16-year-old Nemere Szecsi of Hungary proved his own advanced ability by adding the U19 Men’s Individual crown to the U17 world title he won last month in Johannesburg (RSA).
Szecsi (HUN) came from a long way back in Laser Run to score an impressive victory – also with a new overall world record of 1,577 points – with a 15sec margin over silver medallist Oleg Rybak of Ukraine.
Emerging from the carnage of a chaotic Laser Run was a new face representing a country that had never before earned a medal at a UIPM Youth World Championships. Jhon Xavier put Brazil on the map with a brilliant bronze that he attributed afterwards to the people who crowdfunded to get him to Lithuania.
Incorporated within the able-bodied competition was the inaugural UIPM Para Tetrathlon World Championships, where a group of pioneering athletes tackled the new format of Para Obstacle > Para Swimming > Para Laser Run in sports class PMP5. Vicco Irbin of Italy crossed first to claim gold, with Ukraine winning the team medal and Chris Harriss of Great Britain and Yoan Argiolas of France taking individual silver and bronze respectively.
- U19 Women’s Final report & reaction / photography
- U19 Men’s Final report & reaction / photography
- Para Tetrathlon report & reaction / photography
UIPM reaction
UIPM President Rob Stull OLY said: “Lithuania does it again, perfectly organising the UIPM 2025 Pentathlon U19 World Championships, showing the world what we can expect next week in Kaunas for the crown jewel of our sport, the Senior World Championships.
“Flawless execution demonstrated by a seasoned team of organisers offered every U19 athlete a fair chance to bring home a medal, and I congratulate all 150+ participants who did their nations proud.
“Farida Khalil continued to show this week that she is the force of the future. There is only one World Championship title that has eluded her this season and in just a few short days, we will find out if she will be the only athlete in history to win it all. Three age-group world titles and the women’s senior championships.
“On the men’s side, there were six medals up for grabs and they were shared between five different nations, with Hungary, Ukraine, Brazil and Czechia joining Egypt on the podium. Congratulations also to Poland and Germany for their success in the Women’s Final.
"And finally, this event marked another key milestone achieved by the LOC and UIPM. The first Para Tetrathlon World Championships was very impressive to see as pioneering athletes competed across four disciplines with great athleticism, emotion and a spirit of solidarity. Clearly, the UIPM Para Sports movement is headed in a really exciting direction and I'm sure this World Championships will be regarded as a key milestone as development continues.
“We are all very excited about what the next days will bring as the Pentathlon train leaves Druskininkai, bound for Kaunas and Pentathlon history.”
Watch and follow
The UIPM 2025 Pentathlon U19 World Championships has now concluded and the action moves to Kaunas (LTU) where the UIPM 2025 Pentathlon World Championships takes place from August 26-30. Live coverage of the Semi-finals and Finals will be free to watch on UIPM YouTube.
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