UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Cup Budapest: Guzi (HUN) sets new world record on march to glory in Women’s Final
Blanka Guzi thrilled her home crowd in Hungary by taking a record-breaking victory in the Women’s Final at UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Cup Budapest.
Claiming her second Pentathlon World Cup gold of the season, the world No.1 was pushed to the brink at the BOK Sports Centre by Great Britain challenger Poppy Clark.
In the absence of world champion Farida Khalil (EGY) and Olympic champion Michelle Gulyas (HUN), Guzi continued to make hay and make history. In the city where she lives and trains, her performance established a new Overall record of 1,495 points – the highest tally since the new format was introduced at the start of 2026.
With International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry sitting among the crowd, the local favourite was relentless in moving up the standings, eventually surging clear to repeat her 2023 triumph in Budapest (HUN) by 5sec from 22-year-old breakthrough starlet Clark (GBR).
Paris 2024 Olympian Laura Heredia of Spain won a three-way battle for bronze, also clinching her first global senior medal, ahead of Viyaleta Hureyeva of Belarus and Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Seungmin Seong of Korea, who rounded out the top five with Anna Jurt of Switzerland sprinting to finish 6th.
Fencing
Kerenza Bryson (GBR) took maximum points from the Direct Elimination for the second consecutive round. A controlled performance in the Top 2 overturned an initial deficit for a 5-3 defeat of Seong (KOR). The 27-year-old ceded the initial point to the Olympic bronze medalist but rebounded in some style to end her rival’s run.
The accomplished fencer had already pulled off a 5-3 win over Elena Micheli of Italy in the Top 4, where Seong (GBR) also prevented an all-British final by securing a 5-1 triumph over Clark (GBR).
Clark (GBR) prevailed in the most compelling scrap of the afternoon when she overcame Guzi (HUN) in the Top 8, striking to level on points at 4-4 with just 1.1sec to go, to the disappointment of a raucous crowd.
Obstacle
Clark (GBR) stepped up her pursuit of a maiden Pentathlon World Cup medal by topping the classification standings after Obstacle. Despite almost coming off at the Flying Hoops, her lunge to the buzzer in 32.21sec gave her the 5th-quickest time and it strengthened her challenge for the podium.
Pitted against Mariya Gnedtchik (BLR), Mathilde Derval of France delivered the quickest sprint over the 70m course of 29.99 to regain some lost ground. Guzi (HUN) again raised the roof with a very solid 32.20 with no rival beside her, Coline Flavin (FRA) having withdrawn due to injury.
Bryson (GBR) dropped to 3rd, overtaken also by Hureyeva (BLR), whose second-fastest mark of 31.22sec accelerated her chances with Paula Valencia of Guatemala rounding out the leading trio in the discipline.
Swimming
Guzi (BLR) delivered impressively in one of her strongest events, recording the speediest time in the third heat, a 1min 00:69sec enabling her to leap up to 2nd place in the standings and assert her status as favourite.
The home heroine was only bested over 100m by Valencia (GUA), who took the highest tally of 299 points by winning the second heat in a ferocious mark of 1:00.22, as Micheli (ITA) was held adrift by just 0.04sec.
Amira Tagirova (AIN) was the other heat victor in a time of 1:00:85 but Guzi (BLR) was the big beneficiary in the pool, trailing Hureyeva (BLR) by just a single point headed into the Laser Run.
When translated into time, the Hungarian had Bryson (GBR), Seong (KOR) and Clark (GBR) on her shoulder within 9sec – with a compelling finale in prospect,
Laser Run
For so much of a classic Laser Run, Clark (GBR) threatened a huge upset, pursuing not just a first major podium but a maiden triumph on the global circuit. Bryson (GBR) snared an early advantage ahead of her compatriot with Seong (KOR) joining them at the front while Guzi (HUN) briefly lost ground on the shooting range.
Quickly, the Hungarian made up lost ground and charged back into the lead as the race headed outdoors into the sun with a loud partisan crowd cheering her on.
Headed into the second shooting series, the contenders for gold were reduced to two with Clark (GBR) emerging in the lead and Guzi (HUN) giving chase, the duo rapidly building a 5sec cushion which they extended further.
Eventually, Guzi (HUN) simply had the most left and she accelerated clear to conclude the run in 11:14.69, with Clark (GBR) grinning broadly as she celebrated crossing the line just 4sec behind. Heredia (ESP) was the fastest of all in 11:05.90, and that was enough to secure a confidence-boosting bronze.
Watch and follow
UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Cup Budapest concludes on the afternoon of June 13 with the Men’s Final. Live stream is available free on UIPM’s YouTube streaming service from 11:00 (Central European Summer Time).
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