Chloe Esposito has shocked the competition in the Modern Pentathlon to win Australia’s eighth gold medal of the Rio Olympics.
Down 45 seconds coming into her strongest events, the 3200m combine (running and shooting), Esposito made up huge time on the final leg, before streaking away after finishing well clear at the final shooting range.
It’s an amazing turnaround for the 24-year-old, who competed at the London Olympic Games in the Modern Pentathalon as well.
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She moved to Hungary two years ago in an effort to improve her fencing, which clearly paid off.
The other event in the Modern Pentathlon is show jumping, and Esposito put in good legs in fencing and equestrian to put her in good position for her favoured two disciplines.
Now she’s won Australia’s first medal in the Modern Pentathlon of any colour, and it happens to be gold.
Esposito lurked in seventh place before the second day of competition, but she posted personal bests in the fencing, swimming and combine to race away with gold having come in seventh in the London Olympics at the age of 20.
But really it was her shooting that gave her the gold medal. She only missed one of a total of 25 shots, while her opponents’ hands faltered in this discipline.
In the end it was a comfortable victory, as she put nearly 50 metres on her opponents by the final lap of the combine.
She was clearly over the moon when giving an interview to Channel 7.
“I can’t describe it. It is the best feeling ever. All my hard work has paid off,” she said.
“I just couldn’t believe everything came together.”
“I knew there was going to be a day where everything came together. I am so thankful it was today. I just can’t believe it.”
Well done Chloe Esposito for winning Australia its first gold medal in the event.