Team USA Athletes Gain Valuable Experience at UIPM World Cup Cairo

Team USA Athletes Gain Valuable Experience at UIPM World Cup Cairo

USA Pentathlon Multisport athletes Rebecca Langrehr, Cassandra Steptoe, and Michael Arishita represented Team USA at the 2026 UIPM Pentathlon World Cup in Cairo, Egypt, competing against strong international fields and gaining valuable experience on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

The women’s qualification round featured 72 athletes, while the men’s qualification round included 113 athletes from 28 countries, highlighting the depth of competition in Cairo. Across both days of racing, Team USA athletes tested themselves against many of the world’s top modern pentathletes while continuing to build experience at the international level.

Langrehr narrowly misses semifinal berth

In the women’s competition, Rebecca Langrehr turned in an encouraging performance, finishing just 3 points shy of advancing to the semifinal in her first international competition in nearly two years.

Langrehr posted 1371 total points, led by a strong fencing performance of 23 victories and 12 defeats for 240 points. She also recorded a 1:05.09 swim, a 55.03 obstacle time, and a 12:04 laser run, putting herself in contention throughout the qualification round.

Her result marked a strong return to international competition and showed she was right in the mix for advancement until the final margin was settled.

Looking back on her return to international competition, Langrehr said, “It’s good to be back! Sadly, I didn’t achieve my goals here in Cairo but I’m looking forward to work on my weaknesses to get back to where I want to be!”

Steptoe gains experience in first World Cup appearance

Also competing in the women’s qualification round was Cassandra Steptoe, who gained valuable experience in her first World Cup appearance.

Steptoe finished with 1175 total points, including 180 points in fencing, a 1:19.53 swim, a 52.48 obstacle time, and a 13:16 laser run. While the result did not move her into semifinal position, the competition provided an important benchmark and an opportunity to compete against elite international athletes.

After the competition, Steptoe reflected on the experience and what she will take away from it moving forward.

“I had an incredible experience at my first World Cup. I learned so much from the world class athletes that I competed with. Many lessons learned and I’m leaving with a renewed sense of passion for the sport and specific things I need to work on for the future.”

For Steptoe, Cairo provided an important step in her development and a clearer picture of the level required at World Cup competition.

Arishita makes World Cup debut in men’s qualification

On the men’s side, Michael Arishita made his World Cup debut for Team USA in a large and competitive field of 113 athletes from 28 countries.

Arishita totaled 1366 points, with 140 points in fencing, a 1:01.17 swim, a 36.25 obstacle time, and an 11:46 laser run. Although he did not advance to the semifinal, the event provided meaningful international experience and an opportunity to measure himself against a strong global field.

Competing in a first World Cup is a significant milestone, and Arishita’s performance added another valuable step in his development on the international stage.

Arishita said, “The experience was incredible. Cairo and the LOC and UIPM organizers were very helpful. Since this was my first World Cup and my first year in the sport, I went in with the goal of learning as much as I could, and I feel like I did exactly that. Now it’s time to address those things, and I’m excited for the next World Cup opportunity. I think the pieces are there; I just have to figure out how to put them together.”

Looking ahead

Although Team USA did not advance an athlete beyond qualification in Cairo, the competition served as an important opportunity for all three athletes to continue building international experience, identify areas for improvement, and test themselves against top-level opposition.

Langrehr’s narrow miss of the semifinal showed how close Team USA athletes can be to advancing at the World Cup level, while Steptoe and Arishita both gained valuable exposure in their first World Cup appearances. Experiences like these are an important part of continued growth and long-term progress on the international circuit.

Team USA will now turn its attention to the next stop on the World Cup calendar: Pazardzhik, Bulgaria, from 13–17 May, where American athletes will have another opportunity to compete against the world’s best and continue building momentum on the international stage.