Nick Woodbridge finishes 10th in Rome

Nick Woodbridge achieved the best Modern Pentathlon World Championships finish of his career to date, coming 10th in Rome.

The 2004 world youth champion and Beijing 2008 Olympian is yet to achieve the London 2012 Olympic qualifying standard – he had to win a medal in Rome to do that.

But the Telford athlete's performances at the World Championships have enhanced his chances of achieving the qualifying standard through the Olympic ranking list.

Woodbridge went to the World Championships at ninth in the ranking list and most of the athletes above him have already qualified for the Games.

There was disappointment today for the only GB man to have achieved that standard to date – world junior champion Jamie Cooke – who ended the day in 33rd.

A third Brit, Sam Weale, could also still qualify through the Olympic ranking list – although only two athletes per gender per nation can compete at London 2012.

Jan Bartu, Performance Director of the Pentathlon GB programme, said: "Nick demonstrated a high international standard again, but there is still room for improvement.

"If he had fenced throughout the way he started, he probably would have been in the medal zone."