Modern Pentathlon World Championship 1967

He largely predetermined the results of equestrian cross-country. Only 9 athletes scored 1000 or more points. The best indicator this time for the Englishman Fox and the Dutchman Petter - 1100 points each. The third place was shared by the Pole Wach and the Australian Page, the fifth - Swede Ferm and the Hungarian Terek.

Of the Soviet three, only Shaparnis gets 1010 points, which in bad weather can be considered a good result. Sdobnikov made less successful - 980 points, and the team's debutant Onishchenko lost his horse and got zero. Extremely low results - 60 and 45 points showed Kuchke (GDR) and Mechson (USA). A number of young athletes from Finland, Bulgaria, Denmark, France did not show high achievements. There was not enough experience and skill yet.

The weather affected some famous athletes who performed below their potential. Balzo made 4 mistakes, gaining 980 points. Mona was close to being disqualified for treating his horse rudely, and after long trials he eventually got 835 points. But the fact was that the horse was difficult to control and the rider began to push it with a whip. Unusual to such treatment, the horse then did not want to stop even at the scales on which the rider had to weigh. Then angry, Mona pulled on the occasion so that the horse sat down. This caused a storm of protest from the animal welfare society. Although the incident was settled, nevertheless, a year later, in order to avoid such misunderstandings, the UIPMB Congress considered the issue of handling horses and made a decision indicating under what circumstances it would be possible to adjust poorly trained horses with a whip. The competition was won by the Swedes.

The success of the Swedish national team inspired hopes for the further success of the hosts of the championship. The host team came to fencing, determined to consolidate the achievement of the first day. 14 hours fights on fencing paths continued, where each participant had to conduct 59 fights. However, neither the young Fermat and Jacobsson, nor the experienced Lilienval managed to cross the line of 850 points. But the Hungarians fought very creatively and effectively. Terek with 47 victories (1114 points) won this view, and 962 points of the Balzo for 39 victories balanced some of Mona’s losses - 848 points, which was also not without adventure.

In the battle with the Finns, Mona was injured. He received medical assistance for 17 minutes, for which the jury announced a “strict warning”, despite the fact that the rules of the fencing competitions stipulate that the athlete can take a 20-minute break in case of illness. In fact, as Mona recalled, with a sword blade he was wounded in the forearm, took antibiotics, and regularly measured temperature. The doctor allowed the competition, provided that the temperature is normal. So with a sore hand he fought to the end.

Confidently fencing and the Soviet team. Shaparnis and Sdobnikov had the same number of victories as Balzo, and Onishchenko's 924 points brought the fencing team to second place. This allowed to reduce the gap with the Swedish team by 304 points and gave a chance to fight for medals in the team event.

According to the results of two days ahead of the national team of Hungary - 5779 points, then Sweden - 5506, Germany - 5175 and the USSR - 4738 points.

In the personal championship, the arrangement of applicants for medals looked like this: Terek (Hungary), Shaparnis (USSR), Fox (Great Britain) and then with the same results Balzo (Hungary), Sdobnikov (USSR).

The fate of personal and team victory was decided in shooting. The first shift shift team worked and knocked out 194 points, which added another 1000 points to his total. Then, after doping control, he watched the targets of his rivals from the rostrum. Shaparnis, who took second place in the individual standings after two days of struggle, if successful in shooting, could really claim the “gold” and win the duel with Balzo. But, having perfectly shot the first series, in the second he did not check the cartridge sending to the chamber. The shooter who finds himself in this position, according to existing rules, does not receive the right to an additional shot. As a result, he lost 220 points, which in the struggle of equal rivals are irreplaceable.

Onishchenko showed 191 points and completed the task. Below expected, Sdobnikov shot, which in all series had breakdowns and ultimately received 184 points. With this indicator, he almost dropped out of the fight for personal championship awards.

Mona showed the best result in shooting - 197 points, the second was Swiss Tshui - 196, the third Czech Kupka - 195 points.

Kuchke (GDR) defeated in swimming - 3 min 30.1 s. Behind him Ferm (Sweden), Onishchenko, Shaparnis (USSR). The balco sailed for Zmin for 48.7 s. And this was enough to get around the leading Terek, which showed 4 minutes 14.8 s.

Before the run, no one had any doubts about the victory of the Balzo and his team.

The winner of the track and field cross was Shaparnis, having improved the time of the Hungarian by 10 seconds. 5 seconds later, the German Kuchke finished. The balco in this form was the third, although in the overall standings he surpassed Shaparnis by 172 points. Here the latter, probably, remembered those unfortunate points in shooting.

C. David’s book contains a quote from a report covering the champion’s run: “Andras Balzo started in forty-third. Maybe for the first time in his life, he completely broke out while running. Even stunned by the cheers of the fans, we heard his heavy breathing. For such a track, his time - 13 minutes 48 seconds - must be recognized as wonderful. "

The absolute winners of the world championship in modern pentathlon again came Hungarian athletes. Andras Balzo, having 5056 points, once again won the gold medal in the individual championship. The second was Shaparnis - 4888 points, the third - Ferm - 4878, the fourth - Terek - 4831, the fifth - Fox - 4779 and the sixth - Sdobnikov - 4701 points.

The team fight ended with the victory of the Hungarian athletes. Behind them are Sweden, the USSR, the Federal Republic of Germany, Great Britain, and the German Democratic Republic.

After nine starts, Andras Balzo became the four-time world champion, repeating the achievements of Igor Novikov. But Andrash modestly assesses his victory, saying that at the World Cup he just smiled at happiness, since all his competitors made some mistakes.

• Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM)