UIPM 2025 Pentathlon World Championships: Khalil (EGY) completes ‘Farida Slam’ with Women’s Final success
The ‘Farida Slam’ – an unprecedented Pentathlon feat that might never be repeated – was duly accomplished today by the irrepressible Farida Khalil of Egypt as she conquered the summit of the sport in the Women’s Final at the UIPM 2025 Pentathlon World Championships.
Just a couple of hours after Moutaz Mohamed (EGY) became Africa’s first individual world champion in the Men’s Final, his younger team-mate followed suit, completing a mind-blowing season when she has become world champion at Senior, Junior (U22), U19 and U17 level as well as winning the UIPM Pentathlon World Cup Final and two regular-season World Cups.
The 14-year-old did not have a flawless day and the margin of victory was less than in the Pentathlon World Cup Final, but she still took the tape by a 12sec margin from a flying Blanka Guzi of Hungary, who took silver at the pinnacle competition for the second year in a row.
Aurora Tognetti of Italy won a fierce battle with Malgorzata Karbownik of Poland for a hard-earned bronze, with 2024 champion Seungmin Seong of Korea and Olivia Green of Great Britain completing the top six after an enthralling contest.
Tognetti was joined by Italy team-mates Valetina Martinescu and Beatrice Mercuri (ITA) as they celebrated a comfortable Team gold, joined on the podium by silver medallists Great Britain and 3rd-placed Egypt.
Fencing
Rebecca Castaudi of France was the first to catch the eye from a lowly seeding of 17, winning her first bout against Guzi (HUN) and then defeating top seed Tognetti (ITA).
There were two incredible comebacks as Khalil (EGY) came back 0-3 to knock out Anna Jurt of Switzerland 3-3 via priority, before Green (GBR) produced an incredible comeback to deny Semi-final Fencing winner Elzbieta Adomaityte of Lithuania another crowning moment in front of the home crowd.
Karbownik (POL) dislodged No.3 and No.6, Ilke Ozyuksel of Türkiye and Seong (KOR). Khalil (EGY) showed more maturity and composure to defeat team-mate Malak Ismail (EGY) 5-3.
Into the Top 4, Charlie Follett (GBR) was next to take on the young pretender and managed to move into a 3-1 lead with 15sec to go. Follett (GBR) scored again and this time there was no way back for the teenager.
Green (GBR) then set up an all-British Top 2 encounter by fending off Karbownik (POL) with ease. And it was a remarkable finale of cut and thrust, finally settled by Green (GBR) on a 5-4 margin.
- Green (GBR) 250pts
- Follett (GBR) 244pts
- Khalil (EGY) 238pts
Obstacle
With Jurt (SUI), Blanka Bauer (HUN) and Malak Ismail (EGY) faltering in the Obstacle round and dropping valuable points, the best racers in the field took full advantage and not only moved ahead of those who fell, but leapfrogging the British duo at the top of the standings.
It is rare to see Khalil (EGY) make even the slightest mistake on an Obstacle course so when she reached out for the buzzer and missed it at the end of her race, it was a surprise – but not particularly damaging as it only cost her half a second and her time of 30.38sec was still comfortably the best of the Women’s Final.
Tognetti (ITA, 32.58) and Karbownik (POL, 33.50) also showed a mastery of the new discipline while Guzi (HUN) and Louison Cazaly (FRA) climbed from lowly positions into the top 10 overall. The final bout was another close one between two team-mates, finally settled by Follett (GBR) who found herself in 4th overall with Green (GBR) now in 7th.
- Khalil (EGY) 354pts
- Tognetti (ITA) 348pts
- Karbownik (POL) 345pts
Overall: Khalil (EGY) 592; Karbownik (POL) 581; Tognetti (ITA) 566
Swimming
Martinescu (ITA) has emulated her male team-mate Matteo Bovenzi (ITA) in becoming unstoppable in Swimming this season, and having already been in 8th place, a dominant 2min 12.24sec propelled her into the top three overall.
Mercuri (ITA) and Guzi (HUN) managed to break the 2:18 mark, but so did Khalil (EGY), keeping herself in the top four of every discipline and building what already looked like an unassailable lead.
- Martinescu (ITA) 286pts
- Mercuri (ITA) 278pts
- Guzi (HUN) 275pts
Overall: Khalil (EGY) 867; Karbownik (POL) 841; Martinescu (ITA) 835
Laser Run
Unlike the Pentathlon World Cup Final where Khalil (EGY) had to get past Tognetti (ITA), the teenage phenomenon knew she could execute a race of her own with Karbownik (POL) lying 26sec adrift and all the fastest Laser Runners apparently too far back to have any chance of gold.
There was however an epic race for silver and bronze to relish.
The duo of Tognetti (ITA) and Martinescu (ITA) put pressure on Karbownik (POL) in the first run, but Martinescu (ITA) drifted at the first shoot and Tognetti (ITA) moved on alone, soon inheriting the silver-medal position.
Guzi (HUN) and Castaudi (FRA) soon came into the mix, threatening Green (GBR), and it was Guzi (HUN) who burst into the top four at the second shoot. Running into the sunset of the outdoor section, the third lap was when Guzi (HUN) left both the sharp-shooting Karbownik (POL) and Tognetti (ITA) in the shade.
Laura Heredia of Spain, Seong (KOR) and Ozyuksel (TUR) now began to see the peloton in their sights, as the bell rang for the last lap. A 7sec shoot for Guzi (HUN) guaranteed her a brilliant silver, but the impressive Tognetti (ITA) also held her nerve and only had Karbownik (POL) for company on the last 600m, with Seong (KOR), Green (GBR) and Ozyuksel (TUR) – with the fastest time of 11:06.57 – finally denied.
Out in front, Khalil (EGY) started with a slick 8sec shoot but then conceded ground with 16sec at the second visit. In case anyone was beginning to wonder about pressure, she nailed a 6.56 and then had the luxury of giving herself 12sec to complete her final five shots and set up the processional finale.
A fitting end to a run of success the like of which we might never see again.
- Ozyuksel (TUR) 634pts
- Guzi (HUN) 629pts
- Heredia (ESP) 629pts
Overall: Khalil (EGY) 1457; Guzi (HUN) 1445; Tognetti (ITA) 1432.
Upcoming events
