The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic GamesAugust 8-24 2008
(BEIJING, August 22) -- Germany's Lena Schoneborn won gold in the Women's Modern Pentathlon at the Olympic Sports Centre Stadium on Friday night.
Schoneborn, who took silver at the 2007 world championships, was able to start 19 seconds ahead of silver medalist Heather Fell of Great Britain after earlier strong rounds in the Shooting, Fencing, Swimming and Show Jumping.
Fell was able to cut the German's lead to about nine seconds at one stage but Schoneborn held on to win.
China's Chen Qian threatened early for a podium finish but after a blistering start to the run, starting 46 seconds behind Schoneborn, she was hauled in by Victoria Tereshuk of Ukraine, who claimed the bronze.
Schoneborn's gold was built on the back of a strong Fencing competition, in which she scored 28 wins, the highest of the day, followed by a good horse-riding section.
While Fell showed her strength in running, she was unable to overcome the deficit she had accumulated during the riding round in which she finished 11th.
Defending Olympic champion Zsuzsanna Voros of Hungary could finish only 20th, while 2007 world champion Amelie Caze of France finished ninth.
Fell maintained Great Britain's record of winning a medal at each of the three Modern Pentathlons contested by women at Olympic Games. Stephanie Cook won gold and Kate Allenby bronze at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and Georgina Harland won bronze at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.
