From Dominic Mahony, MPAGB, Guatemala City
Great Britain’s women modern pentathletes secured the world championship team silver medal, led home by Georgina Harland, who scorched through the field on the final 3km cross-country run to go from 23rd to 7th overall at the finish.
Backed up by Mhairi Spence and Katy Livingstone in 12th and 18th, Britain placed behind Poland and ahead of Hungary in the team competition.
“We came here to win a team medal and we”ve done that,” said Harland, the Olympic bronze medllist in 2004. “We’re a new team and so gold in the Europeans and silver in the world championships is great in our first year together. I am disappointed with my individual performance, especially shooting and fencing; but I rode well and then just went after everyone in the run.”
Spence, individual bronze medallist at the European championships earlier in the year, had looked Britain’s best prospect for much of the day, starting the run in fifth place, 21sec behind the joint leaders. “It’s a great result for the team, but I set myself a goal of finishing in the top eight individually, so 12th is not good enough for me,” Spence said. Overall I’m delighted to get on to the world championship podium for the first time”, she said.
Nick Woodbridge competes for Britain later today in the men’s final following his impressive performance in qualification.
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