Where better to make athletics dreams come true? How about in the shadows of the Magic Kingdom?
Orlando, Florida was the setting in the U.S. for the Ninja World Cup USA July 27-30. It was the first time the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) co-hosted a World Obstacle event.
Nearly 800 Ninja athletes took part in the event.
With obstacles now a part of the modern pentathlon program, this collaboration gives those athletes a potential path to the Olympic Games which they hadn’t had previously.
Of course Obstacle won’t be a part of modern pentathlon when the Summer Olympics get underway in just under a year’s time in Paris. Beyond that, the sport’s Olympic future is up in the air as it’s not currently on the LA28 program, but there is tremendous confidence the sport will be represented in LA28.
“The innovation that UIPM has embraced to include Obstacle racing as our new Olympic fifth discipline following Paris 2024 will provide new interest, new fans and new opportunities for more athletes than ever before. The Ninja World Cup in Orlando is a step towards the realization of those dreams,” said USA Pentathlon Multisport Chairman Tom Shepard.
The event featured youth and adult competitors, some as young as eight-years-old, and also had representatives from the UIPM to provide information and answer questions for Ninja athletes who might be interested in training for modern pentathlon.