Hernández's Record-Breaking Performance Leaves Mexico Devastated
Mexican pentathlete Emiliano Hernández Uscanga breaks world and Olympic records in the final combined event but finishes fourth overall, just four points shy of the bronze medal. Despite the heartbreaking result, his performance is hailed as historic.
Mexican Emiliano Hernández Uscanga set a world and Olympic record in the combined shooting-running event and was one step away from the podium after finishing in fourth place overall, in the men's modern pentathlon competitions that took place this Saturday at the Palace of Versailles.
Hernández earned 286 points in equestrianism, 210 in fencing plus 12 bonus points, 304 in swimming, and 720 in shooting-running, for a total of 1,532.
The Bath 2023 world runner-up and Santiago 2023 Pan American champion placed 13th in equestrian jumping, and in the extra rounds of fencing, he won over the public present with an outstanding performance in which he achieved the highest number of victories of all the finalists, to earn 12 more points.
In the 200-meter freestyle swimming event, he finished in ninth place, and for the final shot put event, he came in eleventh place, but managed to climb positions to fourth place; his result in this last combined event surpassed the world record held by Martin Vlach of the Czech Republic since April 30, 2023 with 716 points, in addition to surpassing the Olympic mark of 713 points, held by Vlach himself.
The Mexican flag bearer was only four points away from the bronze medal, so at the end, he received a standing ovation from the public.
The first place in the competition went to the Egyptian Ahmed Elgendy, with a harvest of 1,555 points, which gave him the world record in total qualification. The silver went to the Japanese Taishu Sato with 1,542 and the bronze to the Italian Giorgio Malan, with 1,536 points.
With this result, Mexico says goodbye to the modern pentathlon of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Emiliano Hernández says goodbye with a world and Olympic record and fourth place in Paris 2024. The Mexican athlete registered 720 points in the shooting race and broke the previous records in the modern pentathlon. Credit: CONADE
I gave the competition of my life in Paris 2024: Emiliano Hernández
In his Olympic debut, Emiliano Hernández Uscanga starred in an outstanding performance in the final of the men's modern pentathlon, which took place in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles in Paris 2024.
The flag bearer of the Mexican delegation finished the competition in fourth place with a total of 1,532 points, and although he was four points shy of the bronze medal, he assured that he gave everything in the grueling five-sport event.
“I think the first thing I have to say is an apology to my family, to my team, to Mexico, for not having been able to give them this joy that they expected from me. I gave the competition of my life,” he commented.
“I feel the sadness of not making it. A huge apology to eight-year-old Emi and to tell him and my entire family that I gave 110 percent, that I gave everything and was left with nothing at the finish line. I wish there was another shot, another race, but that's how it is,” he added.
Emiliano Hernández closed the competition with a world and Olympic record in the combined shoot-run with 720 points, breaking the records of the Czech Martin Vlach (716) in Budapest 2023 and (720) in Tokyo 2020, in a performance that allowed him to climb positions and aspire to the podium.
“Four disciplines went as I dreamed, but this is pentathlon and there are five disciplines. The horse was a very good horse, but in the end, I think I was a little anxious about the obstacles, a little out of harmony with what the horse was asking of me, and from there I had to row against the current and leave everything until the finish line,” he commented.
With the stands full and the crowd in high spirits, the Palace of Versailles provided a pleasant setting for the modern pentathlon, and the cheers of the public encouraged the athlete, who was the world runner-up in 2023.
“For me, as a football fan, it was a very nice feeling to be able to experience that. I think that injection of energy was what kept me going until the finish line, until the finish line,” he shared.
Emiliano Hernández, finalist in the modern pentathlon of the Olympic Games. He finished in third place in the semifinal A, while Duilio Carrillo finished in 15th place. Credit: CONADE
Emiliano Hernández, a finalist in the modern pentathlon of the Olympic Games
The national team member Emiliano Hernández Uscanga qualified for the modern pentathlon final after occupying third place in semifinal A, with a total of 1509 points, in the competitions that took place at the Palace of Versailles. The competition for medals will take place this Saturday, August 10, at 9:30 a.m., central Mexico time.
Hernández began with the horse riding event, where he rode Carioka D'illiat and placed seventh overall, with 293 points. In the extra round of fencing, he achieved five victories to earn 10 bonus points, an achievement that only he and the Frenchman Valentin Prades achieved. In total, he earned 220 points.
In swimming, the champion of the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games clocked 2:04.82 minutes in his 200-meter freestyle, which gave him 301 points, while in the laser-run event, he managed to get into third place, to obtain 695 points.
For his part, Duilio Carrillo said goodbye to Paris 2024 in the 15th place of semifinal A, with a cumulative total of 1,453 points, after adding 195 points in fencing, 279 in equestrianism, 296 in swimming, and 683 in laser-run.
In the final that will take place this Saturday, the best 18 pentathletes of Paris 2024 will start from scratch to perform the five events of the program again.
