UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Cup Budapest: Guzi (HUN) shines as Micheli (ITA) marks progressive comeback
Blanka Guzi of Hungary gave the host nation the fast start it wanted as the opening day of UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Cup Budapest saw returning veterans and rising stars shine in the capital city.
Having won gold in Cairo (EGY) and silver in Pazardzhik (BUL) already this World Cup season, Guzi (HUN) burst out of the blocks to win the opening instalment during Women’s Qualification among a stacked global field.
But there were eye-catching performances aplenty: Elena Micheli of Italy made a progressive comeback to the sport as she cruised through to Semi-final action, while teenager Nadja Farmand of Germany toasted a breakout display to top her group. Having won gold in Bulgaria, lke Ozyuksel of Türkiye was part of a talented finishing pack in the day’s closing action.
In Group A, Guzi (HUN) was in imperious form as she led almost from start to finish, crossing ahead of a pair of up-and-comers from France in Louison Cazaly and Mathilde Derval. Not far behind, Paris Olympians Kerenza Bryson of Great Britain and Anna Jurt of Switzerland also impressed while Micheli’s compatriot and fellow Pentathlon mom Francesca Tognetti (ITA) savoured her return to the sport after nearly two years away, impressively sealing the 12th and final spot in Thursday’s Semi-finals, Obstacle specialist Katharina Jurt (SUI) the one to miss out in 13th.
With the competitors split evenly into three sections, the middle Qualifications group saw Micheli (ITA) make her triumphant return. For all returning athletes, their first competitive swing through the Obstacle course is watched closely. Micheli (ITA) was smooth in 34.99sec. Farmand (GER), 6th in last year’s Pentathlon Under 19 World Championship, was particularly impressive as she headed the dozen who progressed. Mariya Gnedtchik, competing under the Belarus banner for the first time since its reinstatement, was in close pursuit, while Olympians Laura Heredia of Spain, Lucie Hlavackova of Czechia, Micheli (ITA) and Paris 2024 bronze medalist Seungmin Seong of Korea all progressed safely.
The afternoon at Budapest’s impressive BOK Sports Centre ended with a third instalment of action. Vivienne Meyer (SUI) and Poppy Clark (GBR) crossed together with Olympian Rebecca Langrehr, representing United States for the first time, in the groove among that leading pack. Ozyuksel (TUR) produced a typically dogged Laser Run to climb to safety, comfortably inside the top ten alongside Rita Erdos (HUN) and Haydy Morsy of Egypt.
Click here for a full list of Women's Qualification results.
Watch and follow
UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Cup Budapest takes place from June 9-13, with live stream of the Semi-finals and Finals available free on UIPM’s YouTube streaming service.
Daily schedule with stream start times (Central European Summer Time) as follows:
- Wednesday June 10: Men’s Qualification | Women’s Fencing Seeding Round
- Thursday June 11: Women’s Semi-final A (10:00), Women’s Semi-final B (13:30) | Men’s Fencing Seeding Round
- Friday June 12: Men’s Semi-final A (09:00), Men’s Semi-final B (12:30) | Women’s Final (16:00)
- Saturday June 13: Men’s Final (11:00).
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