Francesca Summers set for Modern Pentathlon Europeans and targets Tokyo Olympics
By Mark Ashenden
Last Updated: 02/08/19 3:00pm
Francesca Summers is fired up for the Modern Pentathlon European Championships in Bath with 16 places at the Tokyo Olympics up for grabs.
The 23-year-old Sky Sports Scholar only turned full-time last summer after finishing her studies in Paris.
Summers is part of a 13-strong British line-up set for action at the University of Bath with the competition kicking off on Tuesday, August 6.
"Being able to compete at a home championships is always great and special," said the Dorking athlete, who will be competing in her second European Championships.
"I'm excited to get competing and to see how this year's training comes together. It was great to compete here four years ago but I was quite young back then and doing the competition mainly for experience.
"I'm still quite young now but my aim this time is to qualify for Tokyo 2020. It will be great to have my friends and family around, and I'm looking forward to having that extra support that comes with competing on home soil."
Summers, who finished fourth and sixth at the opening two World Cups of the season, is one of eight Britons to record their best-ever finish at world championship level during 2019 with the battle for places to compete at a home Europeans fierce since the start of the year.
GB performance director Jan Bartu added: "This competition brings the continent's top athletes to our home in Bath and it is also a great opportunity for the British athletes to compete in front of a home crowd and hopefully enjoy some success.
"We have experienced a very good year and we are now on 26 medals won by individuals and teams in 2019. That is unprecedented and I hope it is not over yet with both the European and World Championships still to come."
