Team USA Battles Through Qualification at Modern Pentathlon Senior World Championships

Kaunas, Lithuania — Five American athletes took to the international stage today as the men’s field at the 2025 Modern Pentathlon Senior World Championships began competition in Kaunas, Lithuania. Ninety-five men from over 30 nations were divided into three qualification groups, with only the top 12 finishers in each group securing advancement to the semifinals.

Team USA athletes were spread across all three groups: Kian O’Boyle and Luke Filar in Group A, Matthias Preidl in Group B, and Tyler Evans and Tristen Bell in Group C.

In Group A, Luke Filar delivered a steady day across the disciplines, ultimately finishing 25th with 1,395 points. His standout moment came in the obstacle event, where he powered through the course to secure a second-place finish in the group. The strong performance demonstrated his athleticism and gave him one of the best highlights for Team USA.

“Overall, this competition helped me to know what specifically I want to lock in on to improve as a pentathlete. I felt that my obstacle and running were both solid today, and overall I look forward to continuing to get stronger and faster,” Filar said.

Teammate Kian O’Boyle placed 28th in the same group with 1,326 points. While the day brought some challenges in the laser run and fencing disciplines, O’Boyle delivered Team USA’s top result in the obstacle course, racing to first place in Group A. The victory showcased both his speed and technical progress in the new discipline.

“Today was a valuable learning experience. While I was disappointed in my laser run and see a lot of room for improvement in fencing, I can clearly feel the gains I’ve made in both fitness and skill since joining the Charlotte residential program,” O’Boyle reflected.

In Group B, Matthias Preidl started the day strong and carried momentum into several disciplines, ultimately finishing 27th with 1,417 points. He set personal bests in both the obstacle and laser run, demonstrating the progress he has made this season. Though the laser run finish left him slightly disappointed, his consistency and breakthrough marks were a positive step forward.

“I had a great start to the competition, but ended it with a slightly disappointing laser run. However, all in all it was a phenomenal experience representing Team USA on the world championship stage, competing with and racing the world’s best,” Preidl said.

In Group C, Tristen Bell turned in one of the most balanced days for the Americans, finishing 22nd with 1,394 points. Bell tied his personal bests in both the swim and the laser run, showing his ability to perform under pressure on the world stage. His solid outing placed him in the top half of his group and gave him valuable momentum moving forward.

“I felt great, I tied my personal bests in both the swim and the laser run. I still need to work on my OCR but I am happy for the experience I got here at the competition. Looking forward to coming back stronger next year!” Bell shared.

Teammate Tyler Evans closed out the day for Team USA in Group C, finishing 32nd with 881 points. His highlight came in fencing, where he posted his best-ever score at a Senior World Championships with 18 victories. Evans fought through a challenging start before finding rhythm and confidence, demonstrating the payoff from months of focused training.

“Today’s competition provided a valuable opportunity to measure my recent progress and highlight areas for continued improvement.

I began the day slowly, losing my first two bouts. After the initial five bouts, I stood at 2–5. At that point, I consciously refocused my approach and settled into a stronger rhythm. Over the last three months, I have been training at Alliance Fencing Club in Houston, TX, and I believe the consistent work with the members has played a significant role in improving both my confidence and overall performance.

Throughout the competition, I made the deliberate decision not to monitor my running scores or rankings. This allowed me to concentrate fully on each individual bout rather than being distracted by standings. It wasn’t until my final three rounds, when my coach shared my progress, that I realized how well I had been performing.

Despite a small slide late in the competition, I closed the day with 18 victories, which I consider a strong result. I leave this event encouraged by the performance, satisfied with the progress shown, and motivated by the recognition that there is still significant room for improvement in consistency and execution,” Evans said.

At the conclusion of the day, none of the American athletes advanced to the semifinal round, but the squad walked away with valuable experience, personal bests, and standout performances, especially in the obstacle and fencing disciplines.

Head coach Vaho Iagorashvili praised the team’s effort and resilience throughout the day.

“This was a challenging day against the very best in the world, and while we did not advance to the semifinals, I am proud of the way our athletes competed. We saw personal bests, strong performances in the obstacle and fencing disciplines, and the kind of growth that shows our program is moving in the right direction. These athletes continue to grow in their development, and experiences like this will only make them stronger. I’m excited for the future of Team USA and confident that the work being put in now will pay off in the years to come,” Iagorashvili said.

With qualification now complete, the focus of Team USA shifts to supporting their women’s squad tomorrow and building on the experiences gained in Kaunas to continue their progress on the international stage.