UIPM 2025 Pentathlon U19 World Championships: Women’s Qualification

The opening day of action at the UIPM 2025 Pentathlon U19 World Championships saw the pace of life in the spa town of Druskininkai (LTU) kick up a few notches as the best emerging female talents in the world vied for a place in Friday’s Women’s Final.

Women’s Qualification saw two groups filled with hopefuls representing 24 countries and five continents compete for 36 places in Friday’s Final. The raging hot favourite, 14-year-old sensation Farida Khalil of Egypt, safely progressed but there were plenty of eye-catching performances across Wednesday’s action.

Khalil, the defending global U19 champion is also the current world champ at Junior and U17 level, led the way in the afternoon’s Qualification A group as she scorched out in front, amassing 1457 points, 57 more than any of her 65 competitors. She was followed by Mehriniso Kahramaonova of Uzbekistan, the 15-year-old impressing in her first competition at U19 level.

Amaya El-Masri of Germany laid down an early marker as she pulled off a rare feat by going faster than Khalil (EGY) over Obstacle, clocking 00:29.30 and qualifying comfortably alongside compatriot Charlotte Keister (GER). Another to put up a stellar number was Wakana Uchiyama of Japan who recorded the day’s fastest swim by a distance, a superb 2:06.49 as she too progressed safely. The 36th and final spot in Friday’s decider was snatched by Elena Arkison of Canada who held off Aleksandra Kazubska of Poland by just one second.

Earlier, Qualification B saw Sarah Mohamed (EGY) and Chloe Johnson of Great Britain cross the line almost simultaneously as the top qualifiers. Johnson (GBR) finished narrowly off the podium at the recent European U19 Championships and looked eager to go one better this week.

Nadja Fermand (GER) had also displayed Germany’s Obstacle prowess as she led all 33 competitors in that group with a fastest time of 00:28.91 and qualified just behind the leaders in a five-strong blanket finish which included Diana Rajncsak of Hungary, Hanna Jakubowska (POL), Daniela Vesela of Czechia and Juliette Barnades of France. The host nation will have two finalists to cheer for as Martina Rutkauskaite was followed by Lithuania teammate Fauste Lukminaite who ran the fastest Laser Run of all 66 qualifiers, a rapid 11:39.78 to progress.

The UIPM 2025 Pentathlon U19 World Championships runs from August 20-23 and continues on Thursday August 21 with Men’s Qualification.