VERSAILLES — South Korean pentathlete Seong Seung-min has secured her place in the final of the women's modern pentathlon at the Paris Olympics, following a strong performance in the semifinals on Saturday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the reigning world champion, finished fourth in Group A with 1,400 points, comfortably making it into the top nine qualifiers for Sunday's final. Her teammate, Kim Sun-woo, is also vying for a spot in the final and will compete in Group B of the semifinals later in the day. The events are being held at the historic Chateau de Versailles, adding a prestigious backdrop to the intense competition.
Seong, 21, has risen as a potential medalist in this year's Olympics after claiming her first world title in June. Her journey in the semifinals began with equestrian show jumping, where she earned 293 points, followed by a fencing bonus round. Despite losing her only fencing bout to Italy's Elena Micheli, Seong excelled in the 200-meter freestyle swimming, clocking the fourth-fastest time and scoring 286 points.
Entering the laser run, the final event of the pentathlon, Seong was in fourth place. The laser run, a combination of running and shooting, proved to be a decisive factor for many competitors. Seong completed her race in 11:44.13, collecting 596 points from a target time of 13:20, demonstrating her strong physical and mental endurance.
The anticipation is high for the final, where Seong aims to become the first South Korean female medalist in Olympic modern pentathlon. This comes after South Korea's success in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where Jun Woong-tae won bronze in the men's category. Jun and his teammate Seo Chang-wan are also set to compete in the men's final later Saturday, looking to continue South Korea's strong showing in the sport.