Sport

Ireland mixed relay duo take modern pentathalon gold

Natalya Coyle and Arthur-Lanigan-O’Keefe go one better than last year in Florida

Natalya Coyle and Arthur-Lanigan-O’Keefe won gold in the modern pentathalon in Florida. Photograph: Inpho
Natalya Coyle and Arthur-Lanigan-O’Keefe won gold in the modern pentathalon in Florida. Photograph: Inpho
Mon May 09 2016 - 13:03

Ireland enjoyed a golden end to the modern pentathalon season as Natalya Coyle and Arthur-Lanigan-O'Keefe took the top prize in the mixed relay on Sunday.

Silver medal winners in 2015, the duo went one step better this year and secured the gold ahead of the Belarus pairing of Katsiaryna Arol and Mikalai Hayanouski.

That Arol andHayanouski beat them to the gold last year made victory in Sarasota even sweeter, and it was the Ukrainian team of Pavlo Tymoshchenko and Valeria Peryinka who filled the final spot on the podium.

Ireland’s medal pursuit was helped by Lanigan O’Keefe not participating in the men’s final, and he has formed a strong alliance with Coyle.

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After their victory Coyle said: “We feel pretty good. Last year we had three silvers in World Cups so we were pretty damn hungry coming into this one and we’re delighted.

“I love the Mixed Relay, I think it’s fantastic to watch because it’s male and female and it’s such a different tempo. It’s a great asset.”

Lanigan-O’Keeffe said: “I train closely with Natalya all year round so it’s great to compete together and we are a great team. Wherever one of us has a shortfall, the other seems to find an answer. So it’s a great event for us.”