China's Liu Kun, 21-year old from Shandong Province, won the women's pitch and
placed second in the obstacle swimming event in the 53rd World
Championship Military Pentathlon in Vienna New City, Austria on
Sunday.
After three days' actions, Liu got the overall individual lead
with 4,299.6 points, followed by teammates Tian Linna and Xu
Lei.
The Chinese women would be very likely to win their sixth team
title as the individual top honor would also be booked by the
Chinese.
However, their male compatriots ended to the third place after
the obstacle swimming on Sunday, and their fate on the medal podium
would depend on the result of men's pitch, hold on Monday.
Although some team members were injured in the action after
several days' drastic training and competition, the Chinese team
has the tradition of "being ready for the warm battles, and
fighting to the end. So the men's team still has chance to win the
gold medal," Chen Meilin, head of the Chinese delegation, told
Xinhua News Agency.
Heretofore, the Chinese team with 10 members had three first
places in the women's event of obstacle running, shooting and
pitch.
The 53rd World Championship Military Pentathlon opened
last?Thursday in Vienna New City, 40 kilometers south of
Vienna.
More than 200 athletes from 33 countries and regions fight for
six gold medals in the men and women individual, team and relay
events.
(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2006)