SYDNEY, Australia — Olympic modern pentathlon champion Chloe Esposito of Australia is pregnant and won’t defend her title in Tokyo this year.
The Tokyo Olympics begin in July and Espositio is expecting her first child in August, she said Thursday.
Esposito said on social media she is not planning to retire from the sport in which she won gold at the 2016 Rio de Janiero Olympics.
“Defending my title will have to wait another four years,” she said. “Can’t wait to be a mum. My priorities will change but the challenge of pregnancy to podium is a powerful dream.”
Esposito took a year off after the Rio Games but returned to win the World Cup final in 2018 and become the top-ranked woman in the sport.
The 28-year-old Australian was hampered by hamstring injuries last year but had been due to return to competition in time to prepare for Tokyo.
Modern pentathlon is a multi-discipline event which combines fencing, swimming, show jumping, pistol shooting and cross-country running.
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