Huge Team GB gold medal hope pulls out of Olympics 2024 event just minutes before start and left ‘devastated’
TEAM GB’s reigning modern pentathlon Olympic champion Kate French has been forced to pull out of the event at the last moment.
The 33-year-old is the reigning Olympic champ and was hoping to defend the crown she won in Tokyo but she dropped out minutes before the 10am start time due to illness.
GettyTeam GB’s Kate French has pulled out of the modern pentathlon[/caption]
ReutersShow jumping is the first of the five elements in the event[/caption]
French had qualified in fifth during Saturday’s semi-final and would have been among the favourites for a medal on the final day of Paris 2024.
Team-mate Kerenza Bryson, who set an Olympic record in winning her semi-final, remains a contender for the gold medal on Sunday.
The 25-year-old, who is a qualified doctor and army reservist, is the reigning European champion and world bronze medallist.
Team GB have already suffered disappointment in the event in Paris after Joe Choong, who won gold in the men’s modern pentathlon in Tokyo 2020, finished ninth.
French has been replaced in the final by reserve athlete Annika Zillekens of Germany.
After speaking with Team GB this morning, the BBC’s Rishi Persad said: “Needless to say Kate is absolutely distraught and gutted.
“They said that’s purely an illness. It’s not Covid. Definitely not Covid. She tried to leave it as late as possible to continue.
“It’s disappointing news. She did not come through the mix zone after the semi final.”
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Heather Bell, who won silver in the same event at Beijing, told the BBC: “Devastating and that is heart-breaking for Kate French.
“The Olympics is a rollercoaster. She had an incredible comeback in her fencing and she was in a position to defend her title.”
Modern Pentathlon comprises the five disciplines of fencing, swimming, show jumping, shooting and running.
After winning gold three years ago with a then Olympic record of 1,385 points, French took a break from the sport in 2023 and only returned to training last August.
Olympic medals for Great Britain in the women’s event go all the way back to Sydney in 2000.
AFPFrench (second in) competing in the shooting section in Saturday’s semi-final[/caption]
APFrench competed against Germany’s Annika Zillekens in the women’s individual fencing portion just 24 hours ago[/caption]
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