The mother of Team GB medal hopeful Joe Choong in the modern pentathlon has described his battle to reach the Olympics final as an “emotional rollercoaster”.
The 29-year-old said he has not given up hope of winning another Olympic medal after scraping his way into the final.
The defending champion had a disastrous fencing ranking round on Thursday which all but ended his chances of repeating his success at Tokyo.
It was never difficult to take him to train because he always wanted to do it and he always enjoyed doing all the different sports. What was difficult was fitting in each of them to get the best within each
Beverley Choong
He went into Friday’s semi-finals at Versailles with a lot of work to do just to make the 18-man line-up but at least cleared that hurdle, securing the top-nine spot he needed with eighth in the second semi-final.
His mother, Beverley Choong, said that following his journey to the final had been “a roller coaster of emotions”.
She said: “It’s nerve-wracking watching but we know that he’s in good form and know that he’s worked hard.”
Mrs Choong said that her son, from Orpington , “had always loved sports” and had been involved in swimming and running from a young age, but it was doing sports at his school, Whitgift School, when “it really kicked off”.
She said: “It was never difficult to take him to train because he always wanted to do it and he always enjoyed doing all the different sports. What was difficult was fitting in each of them to get the best within each.”
In Tokyo 2020, he became the first British man to win individual Olympic gold in modern pentathlon.
Asked what that moment was like, Mrs Choong said: “That was surreal. In our living room at home I was with my husband, my mum, Joseph’s younger brother Henry and his wife.
“Your emotions go up and down.
“We knew he’d done well in the fencing. Okay, done well in that. All watched the swim, okay, good he’s done well, we knew he should do well in that. Okay, let’s have a cup of tea, coffee, get the nerves controlled then watch the riding.
“Okay, that one is always difficult but did what he needed to and what he normally does in that. And then the combine. So that was really nerve wracking because we had memories of Rio, when he’d been in a similar position, but we knew he’d also developed a lot and, you know, really was good at just focusing on the here and now. And then just, wow, he’s going to do it.”
Asked what it has been like to watch his journey, she said: “Lots of emotions with it. Exciting.
“Both my husband and I, we both love sport, grandparents love sport, the family has always loved sport.
“Never imagined it would take off to where it goes. I think you all have dreams and the initial aim is to be the best at your school, the best at county, national level and then European champion.”
Choong has been a fierce critic of the decision to drop showjumping as one of the five disciplines after Paris in favour of obstacle racing, which followed a high-profile controversy in Tokyo where a German coach hit an uncooperative horse.
There were no such dramas here, although Choong knocked down two fences, but he clawed his way back with four wins in the fencing bonus round and the fastest 200 metres swim, leaving himself just outside the top nine going into the final biathlon-style laser run.
A solid running and shooting display saw him comfortably achieve the position he needed, but he admitted he is now relying on others slipping up.
“I knew I needed almost the perfect day,” he said. “I made a mistake on the horse, which meant I didn’t gain any ground, and then I thought that was probably it.
“It’s been a real battle, I had to collect myself between every event, especially after last night. I’m just glad my Olympics isn’t over yet.
“Unfortunately, the medal results are out of my hands. I’m relying on some mistakes at the top if I want to get close. But it’s positive. It is the Olympics and there’s a lot of pressure on those other guys so you never know.”
British debutant Charlie Brown finished just outside the qualifying positions in 10th.
The men’s modern pentathlon is set to take place at 5.30pm on Saturday, August 10.
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