MODERN PENTATHLON AT THE PAN AM GAMES

At the Pan American Games Santiago 2023, the sport of modern pentathlon will take place from Oct. 21-27. The events include the women’s and men’s individual, the mixed relay, the women’s relay, and the men’s relay. Team USA has three women and two men that will be competing in the 2023 Pan Am Games.

The women’s team will be led by the No. 1 nationally ranked athlete, Jessica Davis. The current national champion finished 23rd at the 2019 Pan American Games, and will be looking for a top performance in Chile to hopefully qualify for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Air Force Officer Phaelen French qualified for the 2023 Pan American Games by finishing the qualification period as the second ranked athlete in the nation. Rounding out the women’s team is the number three nationally ranked athlete, Heidi Hendrick. For French and Hendrick, this is their first Pan American Games. Both have competed in world cups and world championships. But, this marks the most important competition of their careers given that there is a chance to qualify for Paris 2024.

The men’s team is led by Brendan Anderson, ranked number one in the nation. A world championship finalist, Anderson is looking to improve upon his 23rd-place finish from the 2019 Pan Am Games. Anderson, who is the current national champion, is surely one to watch in Chile. Tristen Bell is the other men's athlete that will be competing for Team USA. Bell is the silver medalist from the 2023 U.S. nationals, and is looking for a strong finish in the 2023 Pan Am Games.

At every previous Pan American Games, Team USA has qualified one male and one female to the Olympic Games. The U.S. is looking to keep that streak going at the 2023 Pam American Games. The 2023 Pan American Games will also be the first Pan American Games with the new 90-minute format. For the individual final, the entire event will take place in 90 minutes. This is the same format that will be used at the 2024 Games.

• Second Pan American Games for Davis and Anderson — Jessica Davis and Brendan Anderson will be competing in their second Pan American Games (2023, 2019). Anderson and Davis both won the silver medal in the men’s relay at the 2019 Pan American Games.
  
• Phaelen French — French is a Major in the U.S. Air Force and competed in triathlon beforeswitching to modern pentathlon.
  
• Coach Dennis Bowsher — Bowsher will be coaching in his second Pan American Games (2023, 2019). Previously, he was an athlete for three Pan American Games (2007, 2011 and 2015).
  
• Qualification for Paris 2024 — This competition qualifies athletes to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris