A 16-year-old Reddam House Durbanville learner has returned from Lithuania as the under-17 pentathlon world champion and world-record holder.

Tatiana Thomatos won gold at the 2026 UIPM Pentathlon U17 World Championships in Kaunas, Lithuania, with a record-breaking performance that saw her finish just two points ahead of her nearest rival.

Competing from 23 to 29 July against 158 athletes from 32 countries, Thomatos scored 1 463 points to claim the title, surpassing the previous world record of 1 452 points set by Egypt’s Farida Khalil at the 2025 championships in Johannesburg.

Strong start sets up victory

The Grade 10 learner began strongly in the fencing discipline, finishing second, before determined performances in the obstacle race and swimming kept her in contention going into the laser run – the final and often decisive part of the competition.

With the world title on the line, Thomatos combined calm shooting with a courageous run to cross the finish line first, ahead of Türkiye’s Tulya Kesebir in second and Great Britain’s Jemima Chetwood in bronze.

The victory continues a remarkable rise through the international ranks for Thomatos, who won the inaugural U15 Tetrathlon World Championship in Guatemala in 2024 and earned individual bronze at the U17 World Championships in Johannesburg in 2025.

South African team shows depth

Thomatos was one of five 16-year-old Grade 10 learners who represented South Africa at the championships. The team included Megan Kleynhans of Randburg High School, Duné Haasbroek of Glenwood House School in the Eden District, Liam Els of Stellenberg High School and Aragon Afonso of Rondebosch Boys’ High.

Supported by team managers Mariaan Botha and Juliet Thomatos, the five learners balanced the demands of Grade 10 with the hours of training required to prepare for the international championship.

Modern pentathlon is an Olympic sport that tests athletes across fencing, obstacle racing, swimming and laser run, which combines running with precision laser-pistol shooting. The sport demands speed, endurance, accuracy, agility and composure under pressure, with a development pathway that can take young athletes from youth competitions to the Olympic Games.