Teenager Mason tenth in World Cup debut

BRITAIN'S Steven Mason produced the best performance of his career to finish tenth at his first modern pentathlon World Cup.

Mason, who celebrates his 18th birthday on Monday, was the highest placed British athlete in the first World Cup final of the new season in Mexico City.
 
It was only his first senior international competition and he still has three more years as a junior before he is classified as a senior.
 
Team-mates Nick Woodbridge and Sam Weale finished 15th and 22nd respectively in the Mexico City competition, which is the first World Cup to use the sport's new combined run/shoot format.

Poland's Marcin Horbacsz claimed gold ahead of Mexico's Oscar Soto and Hungary's Adam Marosi.

Mason started the day well, winning 20 of his 35 fencing bouts for ninth place and 880 points. Woodbridge went even better, with 23 wins for 952 points and third place overall, with Weale winning 13 for 712 points and 33rd.
 
Woodbridge, always a strong swimmer, kept up his challenge with the second fastest time for the 200m freestyle. His 2:02.84 earned 1328 points. Mason's 2:19.43 was 34th fastest, while Weale clocked 2:07.51, seventh quickest.
 
Mason completed a near perfect round, dropping just 20 points from the maximum 1200 in the equestrian arena - where riders draw lots for horses that they only meet 20 minutes before starting their round.
 
Woodbridge also rode well, amassing 1176 points in the riding arena. That put him into second place overall going into the combined run/shoot. Weale collected 1168 from the equestrian discipline.
 
Mason rounded off his campaign with a solid combined run/shoot  - the first to be held in the final of a World Cup.

His time of 12.01.16 was the eighth best, earning 2476 points to give him a top ten finish.
 
Woodbridge's time of 13:29.50 for the new run/shoot was 32nd best, giving him 2124 points and dropping him down the field to 15th overall, while Weale's 12:31.83 left him 22nd.