Ahmed Elgendy etched his name in history as he secured Egypt’s first gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The triumphant moment arrived in the men’s Modern Pentathlon, where Elgendy showcased his exceptional skills and determination to claim the top spot with a world record score of 1,555 points.
Elgendy, a silver medalist from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, faced a demanding competition. He was one of six competitors to achieve a flawless round in the show jumping, a significant improvement from the previous day’s semi-final where a near fall from his horse resulted in penalties. This flawless performance allowed Elgendy to enter the fencing bonus round with a strong lead. While he did not increase his score in this round, he maintained a 13-point advantage over Taishu Sato of Japan.
Elgendy extended his lead to 17 points in the swimming leg, pushing Alexandre Dallenbach of Switzerland to become his closest competitor while Sato dropped to fourth place. Entering the laser run with a commanding advantage, Elgendy demonstrated remarkable consistency and never appeared to be in danger of losing his lead.
Meanwhile, reigning Olympic champion Joe Choong of Britain, despite being the fastest in the swimming event, ultimately finished ninth overall due to a less-than-stellar performance in the fencing ranking round. Elgendy’s victory is a testament to his exceptional talent, resilience, and unwavering dedication, securing a historic gold medal for Egypt at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
