Britons miss out on relay medals

MODERN PENTATHLON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Venue: Crystal Palace, London Dates: 13-17 August

Weale also missed out on a medal in the individual event

Britain's Nick Woodbridge and Sam Weale narrowly missed out on a medal in the men's relay on the final day of the Modern Pentathlon World Championships.

The pair finished fourth at Crystal Palace after a poor second round of shooting from British number one Weale.

It was a similar story for Britain in the women's relay as their home championships ended in disappointment.

Heather Fell and Mhairi Spence had looked set to take gold after a fine start but had to settle for fifth.

The pair were leading going into the combined event as Spence finished her two laps with a 20-metre lead.

But Fell took the full allotted time of 70 seconds on her first shoot and dropped to fifth.

Although she improved second time around she could not hold on to third place on the last lap and a distraught Fell crossed the line in fourth, with the Czech Republic making it double gold after the men's earlier triumph, Germany taking silver and Poland bronze.

Woodbridge and Sam Weale, meanwhile, went into the combined event in a good position to challenge Egyptian brothers Omar and Amro El Geziry.

But they fell just short as Egypt hung on for bronze behind winners the Czech Republic and second-placed Russia.

Woodbridge said: "I can't believe it. When Sam came into that last shoot, which is one of his best events and I can't believe he struggled there.

"He dry-fired on one of the shots and after that it got to him. But my first shoot was terrible. Coming into that last shoot I was thinking 'which position' not that we're not going to be on the podium.

"I could see the Egyptian was dying, it was probably down to a second in the end. I'm absolutely gutted. The men's programme has always got something to prove against the girls.

"It would have been nice to start it off here at home with a medal."