Czech sets modern pentathlon fencing record

The Czech Republic's David Svoboda led the men's modern pentathlon after the first round Saturday when he set a new Olympic record of 26 wins to nine defeats in the fencing competition. That tally gave the 27-year-old from Prague a points total of 1,024 going into the swimming leg. Russia's world champion Aleksander Lesun, with 25 wins and 10 defeats, was in a tie for second on 1,000 points with Cao Zhongrong of China. Just behind came Deniss Cerkovskis of Latvia with another Russian, Andrei Moiseev, in fifth and bang in contention for a third consecutive Olympic gold medal after his wins in Beijing and Athens. The 33-year-old Moiseev will be looking to gain ground in the swimming, his preferred discipline. After the swimming at the Olympic Park Aquatics Centre, the competition moves to Greenwich Park for the show jumping, shooting and running. Modern pentathlon, celebrating its 100th Olympic birthday, has undergone a facelift since Beijing 2008, with shooting and running now combined for the first time. The women's event is staged on Sunday.