LONDON 2012: Modern pentathlon again expected to deliver golden finale

IT'S more than a decade since Stephanie Cooke and Kate Allenby gave Britain a golden G'Day to remember at the Sydney Olympics.

FLAG DAY: Heather Fell continued the recent history of British modern pentathlon success in Beijing - and London 2012 organisers are banking on that trend continuing (Getty Images)

Those Games marked a major turning point for British Olympic sport, following the nadir of Atlanta four years previously, when the team struck just a solitary gold medal.

Britain has never been off the podium in the women's modern pentathlon since, Georgina Haarland and Heather Fell following their team-mates lead in Athens and Beijing.

Former athlete Cooke, with her gold, and one-time Pony Club star Allenby, who won bronze, memorably secured their medals just a few hours before the closing ceremony.

And that is perhaps why London 2012 organisers have scheduled the women's pentathlon for the final fday of the, where it will certainly be Britain's final chance of adding to their, hopefully thumping, medal tally.

"We've got a very strong squad this time around, stronger than before Beijing when we still produced a medal," said Mhairi Spence, currently ranked 20th in the world.
 
"There's something special about being the first medal at an Olympic and it will also be exciting to be going for the last medal."
 
Katy Livingston, who finished seventh in Beijing, agreed: "In terms of the depth of competition for places to get to the Olympics, it's stronger than ever at the moment, it's certainly stronger than in the last two Olympic cycles.
 
"I think the media attention will be pretty high anyway because of the reputation of our women's team, but it could be a bit higher if we are the last medal of the Games."