MODERN PENTATHLON: For the first time, Australia will send a female modern pentathlete to compete in a Youth Olympic Games (YOG), taking place in Nanjing, China.

Teenager Marina Carrier will don the green and gold in August alongside fellow pentathlete, Max Esposito, who has the Olympic gene in his family and recently finished fourth at the Youth World Championships.

Carrier, who has only been competing in the sport competitively since this time last year, is over the moon about her selection to the Australian Youth Olympic Team (AYOT).

“It doesn’t get much better than the Youth Olympic Games,” the Sydneysider said.

“I couldn't feel more honoured.”

Since qualifying first for Oceania at the Asian Championships in Kazakhstan last year, the young star says the only goal she has her sights set on in Nanjing is recording a personal best.

“I often have high expectations for myself and how I want to perform on the day,” Carrier said.

“Doing a PB and being a stronger and faster version of me now is the challenge I'm setting myself.”

Apart from training up to three times a day, seven days a week, Carrier is also studying for the HSC.

The seventeen-year-old, who will finish her trials three days before she flies out to China with the rest of the AYOT, says whilst her greatest achievement to date is “surviving sleep deprivation”, modern pentathlon has certainly helped her focus with her studies.

“Doing pentathlon has certainly made me very organized,” she said.

“The word procrastination has almost disappeared entirely from my vocabulary - I just don't have any time that I can actually waste…being flexible about both studying and training is really important.”

While school notes will definitely be on the list of things to pack, the pressure of year 12 has not waned the Sydneysider’s excitement.

Joining Carrier is fellow New South Welshman Max Esposito, who is also excited to represent Australia internationally in the sport he loves.

“YOG is important to me,” he said. “It will be the stepping stone for future events to come.”

The sixteen-year-old is the son of 1984 Olympian Daniel Esposito and sister of 2012 Olympian Chloe Esposito, who both competed in modern pentathlon.

While Esposito doesn’t have to go far for training advice, the young star is ready to prove his own Olympic status.

“I get lots of advice from my family and training with my sister is great help,” he said.
 


“But it is a sport that you have to do the work all on your own. If you want something done properly do it yourself, is what Mum and Dad always say.”

Esposito achieved a very impressive result overnight finishing 4th in the Youth World Championships held in Hungary. He came from 22nd place before the final event where he ran/shot his way to finish fourth overall, one point off a bronze medal.

Modern Pentathlon will be contested on days 6-10 of the second summer Youth Olympic Games, taking place in Nanjing, China from 16 – 28 August 2014.

The Modern Pentathlon team for the 2014 Australian Youth Olympic Team:
Marina Carrier (17) NSW, 2063
Max Esposito (16) NSW, 2170

Laura Judd
olympics.com.au
@AUSOlympicTeam