SportsAid's One-to-Watch Award shortlist: Gabrielle Holland
Gabrielle Holland has defied her age to reach the top of modern pentathlon’s junior ranks after the COVID-19 pandemic had temporarily put her rise on hold.
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The 16-year-old from East Grinstead has regularly beaten out competitors three years older than her on the way to fourth at the World Championships at Under-19s level. This year has also seen the Reigate Grammar School student earn silver at the European Championships (Under-19s) while combining her modern pentathlon success with representing Great Britain on the junior fencing circuit.
“Because of COVID, the Europeans and Worlds were the biggest competitions I've done ever for pentathlon and I just really enjoyed it. I raced up an age group in Under-19s because they include the fencing and I love to do as many of the sports in one competition as I can."
“It was great because we go for the week as a team and I've learned a lot with managing and organisation. We've been training with nothing really to aim at, it's quite new to have something to be driving towards. It gave me a lot more motivation in training. Training now afterwards, I've picked a new goal to work towards and it's just changed the way I motivate myself.”
Gabrielle’s next goal is to keep delivering on the junior stage before going to study at the University of Bath, where Britain’s best modern pentathletes are based. In an effort to keep up with the times, modern pentathlon has been shortened from the five events - taking multiple days - to just 90 minutes and is currently debating a move to add obstacle racing instead of riding. But for Gabrielle, the change in format would not affect her drive to compete. She added: “I have no idea what's going to happen, there's a lot going on. But I'm not sure any of it is really going to affect my decision. I'm just going to have to learn a new sport!”
Gabrielle’s superb 2022 has been rewarded with nomination for SportsAid’s annual One-to-Watch Award, shortlisted in the top 10 from a raft of 1,000 young athletes supported by the charity across 60 different sports. The award was launched in 2006 to shine a spotlight on the outstanding achievements of Britain’s brightest young prospects, with Tom Daley, Hollie Arnold, Courtney Tulloch, Amber Hill, Morgan Lake and Alex Yee among the former winners.
“It's exciting, because I didn't know what I was doing was that big and it's just nice to get the recognition,” Gabrielle, who received her SportsAid support from Royal Bank of Canada this year, said. “My family and I all opened the email telling me I had been nominated together, which was great.”
The winner of SportsAid’s prestigious One-to-Watch Award will be revealed at the charity’s Celebrate the Next event, supported by Royal Bank of Canada, in London on Thursday 17 November.
Photo Credit - Daniel Dalecki for Modern Pentathlon Poland
