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Modern pentathlon test event to start in Rio

Xinhua, March 10, 2016 Adjust font size:

Over the past few years the Deodoro Olympic Park has taken shape.

As the finishing touches are made, venues are beginning to open and athletes are starting to compete.

Today is the turn of the pentathletes as the world's best gather for the second stage of the UIPM 2016 World Cup. Riding, fencing, swimming, running and shooting make up the modern pentathlon.

The Deodoro Olympic Park is the second largest venue cluster for Rio 2016. On Wednesday, another two venues were opened on this impressive site. The Deodoro Stadium, which will host the Riding and the Combined event (run/shoot) along with the Youth Arena which will host the fencing.

This is the second event of the season (World Cup #2) after World Cup #1 took place last weekend in Cairo.

There will be 187 athletes competing including the reigning men's and women's Olympic champions, Laura Asadauskaite from Lithuania and David Svoboda from Czechoslovakia.

Also featuring is the reigning World Champion Riccardo De Luca from Italy, Lena Schoneborn the 2015 World Champion from Germany and the 2014 World Champion Samantha Murray from Great Britain.

With such an all star cast this weekend should provide a fascinating clash as the worlds best pentathletes compete over five disciplines at these fantastic new facilities here in Deodoro Park.

The event runs from March 10-14 with the finals taking place on March 12-14. Endit