Athlete Reflects on Stellar Pentathlon Performance at Paris Olympics
The 31-year-old G. Venčkauskaitė concluded her remarkable career at the Paris Olympics with a seventh-place finish in the modern pentathlon. Reflecting on her performance, she expressed both contentment and a sense of closure.
“I believe in myself that I can make it through those four years,” she smiled, looking back on her journey. The Los Angeles Games would be her fourth.
Throughout the competition, Venčkauskaitė displayed remarkable resilience and skill, claiming 300 points in the equestrian event and finishing fourth in the swimming event. Despite strong performances, she ultimately fell short of the podium, finishing behind fellow Lithuanian Laura Asadauskaitė-Zadneprovskienė, who secured gold.
The changing landscape of the pentathlon was evident in this edition. The traditional equestrian event has been replaced by an obstacle course, reflecting concerns over the unpredictability and potential violence associated with horse-riding.
“I am happy that I finished the last riding event, which was really the last one for us,” Venčkauskaitė said, hinting at her retirement. “I am very pleased to say goodbye to riding with my head held high.”
Despite the bittersweet ending, Venčkauskaitė expressed gratitude for the experiences and lessons learned throughout her illustrious career. She hinted at a possible return for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, but remained non-committal.
“I believe in myself that I can ‘date’ those four years,” she said, hinting at a possible future participation. “At this point, I want to take a break and realize what was here.”