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The Jerries

Meet Ireland's Olympic Team: Natalya Coyle

Competing in the modern pentathlon, the Meath athlete will appear at her second Games in Rio.

Event: Modern pentathlon

Who is she? 25-year-old Natalya Coyle will take part in the women’s modern pentathlon — a multi-sport event which involves fencing, swimming, show jumping, pistol shooting and a cross-country run.

Where’s she from? Originally from Tara, County Meath. She’s also a former student of Trinity College.

Olympic CV: Four years ago, Coyle became the first Irish woman to represent her country in the modern pentathlon — impressively finishing ninth overall.

Road to Rio: Along with team-mate Arthur Lannigan-O’Keeffe, she claimed gold in the mixed relay at the Pentathlon World Cup in Florida back in May and her qualification was confirmed the following month.

When does she start? Friday, 19 August.

Where can I follow her? She’s on Twitter and Facebook.

What she says: “You can always aspire to a medal, because it’s quite unpredictable. The person who’s winning after the first event can very easily finish last – and sometimes the other way around. It’s really vital that you concentrate on one event at a time, so you need to be mentally strong.” (Hot Press)

Medal chances: If Natalya can improve on her achievements at London 2012, it would put her in the mix for a possible podium finish.

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