PLYMOUTH’S Kerenza Bryson admitted she had ‘mixed emotions’ after her top 10 finish in the women’s modern pentathlon at the Olympic Games.
The European champion had been one of the medal favourites and had set a new Olympic record in the semi-finals the day before.
But in Sunday’s final, things just did not go her way after a frustrating ride event and she had to settle for ninth place.
“It is mixed emotions,” she said afterwards. “I’m really happy to be in the Olympics, to be able to call myself an Olympian. Top 10 really isn’t too bad but obviously I wanted to come away with a medal.
“I’m feeling a bit disappointed about how it all went. I just couldn’t put it together on the day and I had a few slip ups.”
Bryson insisted the packed and vocal crowd at Versailles did not put her off.
“We experienced the crowd yesterday and I loved it,” said the University of Plymouth medical graduate. “The energy is so positive, and I feel so supported. I was really looking forward to competing.
“It’s been amazing thing to be in front of a crowd this size, with so many Brits as well.
“Obviously Team GB wanted to come out here and get some medals.
“Joe (Choong) and Kate (French) were reigning the Olympic champions. And they are amazing athletes but the difficulty with pentathlon is there’s five things and you need to pull them all together on the day. So, there is an element of luck in that.
“Obviously, for all of us we’re a bit disappointed but we move on and there’s another cycle ahead.
“I’m going to take some time off and decompress and then I’ll be thinking about that after a holiday.”
The 25-year-old army reservist has not ruled out trying to compete at the 2028 Olympics where the riding event will be switched for an obstacle course, but in the meantime she is going to concentrate on life as a junior doctor.
“Medicine is a passion of mine and I love helping people so being a doctor is important to me,” she said.
“I’ve only been a full-time athlete for one year so all the years of hard work before were while I was balancing my three careers. I’m going to try to see how I can do it again.”
Bryson admitted that her medicine and army careers have shown her that there is more to life than just ‘sport and medals’.