Cal Poly is hosting the U.S.A. Pentathlon National Qualifying Event on Jan.18 and 19 where top athletes from around the country will compete for the chance to represent Team U.S.A. in the 2020 Olympics.
“We are very excited to have the opportunity to host an event of this magnitude on our campus and support potential Team U.S.A. athletes,” Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong said in a news release.
The female athletes competed on Jan. 18 and the male athletes will compete on Jan 19. The top four men and women from each group will be named to Team U.S.A.
The pentathlon puts competitors through five events in just one day including fencing, swimming and equestrian ride. It also includes a laser run, which combines a cross country style run with shooting a laser pistol.
This is the second of two events that are used to select Team U.S.A. representatives. The first event took place in Colorado Springs in Dec. 2019.
The event is coordinated by Cal Poly Corporation and held at various facilities across campus as well as some off-campus sites. These locations and events include a 200-meter swim hosted at the Anderson Aquatic Center, fencing at the Recreation Center and a 3000-meter laser run will take place at the ASI Sports Complex soccer fields. The only event to be hosted off-campus is the equestrian event which will be held at the Oak Park Equestrian Center in Edna Valley.
“Everyone is excited to help coordinate and host this event because it is a great way to show off the community to the rest of the world,” Cal Poly Corporation Communications Specialist Aaron Lambert said.