Annika Schleu

Annika Schleu (born 3 April 1990) is a German modern pentathlete. She won the gold medal of the relay event at the 2012 World Championships and 2017 World Championships. She has competed in three Olympic Games, finishing in 26th place in 2012 and in 4th place in 2016.[2]

Annika Schleu
Annika Schleu in 2012
Personal information
NationalityGerman
Born (1990-04-03) 3 April 1990
Berlin (West),
Allied-occupied Berlin
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Weight63 kg (139 lb)[1]
Sport
Country Germany
SportModern Pentathlon
Medal record
Women's modern pentathlon
Representing  Germany
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2011 MoscowTeam
Gold medal – first place2012 RomeRelay
Gold medal – first place2016 MoscowRelay
Gold medal – first place2017 CairoRelay
Gold medal – first place2021 CairoTeam
Silver medal – second place2011 MoscowRelay
Silver medal – second place2015 BerlinTeam
Silver medal – second place2018 Mexico CityIndividual
Silver medal – second place2018 Mexico CityRelay
Bronze medal – third place2010 ChengduTeam
Bronze medal – third place2016 MoscowTeam
Bronze medal – third place2017 CairoTeam
Bronze medal – third place2018 Mexico CityTeam
Bronze medal – third place2019 BudapestTeam
European Championships
Gold medal – first place2010 DebrecenTeam
Gold medal – first place2014 SzékesfehérvárTeam
Gold medal – first place2015 BathRelay
Gold medal – first place2017 MinskRelay
Gold medal – first place2023 Kraków, simultaneously European GamesTeam
Silver medal – second place2010 DebrecenRelay
Silver medal – second place2011 MedwayTeam
Silver medal – second place2011 MedwayRelay
Silver medal – second place2014 SzékesfehérvárRelay
Silver medal – second place2015 BathTeam
Bronze medal – third place2013 DrzonkówTeam
Bronze medal – third place2013 DrzonkówRelay

Personal life

She has born in the Allied-occupied Berlin (West).[3] She is married to fellow modern pentathlete Christian Zillekens.[4]

Individual events

She won the silver medal at the 2018 World Championships.[5] At junior level, she also won silver at the 2008 European Junior Championships.[6]

Schleu was leading the competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when she was unable to successfully complete the show jumping event, moving her from first to last place, and an eventual 31st place.[7][8] Her trainer, Kim Raisner was sent home from the Olympics after footage showed her seemingly punch Schleu's assigned horse for not performing in a desired manner.[9] The horse named Saint Boy was randomly assigned from a pool of 18 and had also for Russian Olympic Committee athlete Gulnaz Gubaydullina (32nd overall), refusing three barriers to jump in the second half of the equestrian course. Schleu has also faced a backlash against her repeated use of the whip and rough handling of her horse.[10] The incident prompted German Olympic team member and equestrian medal record holder Isabell Werth to criticize Pentathlon's use of horses; she stated that "Pentathlon has nothing to do with equestrian sport" and treats horses as "a means of transport to which the athletes have no connection."[11] Werth also expressed sympathy for Schleu, whom she saw as a victim of the system of the sport.[12]

On January 13, 2023,[13] her legal team announced that an earlier lawsuit had been dropped;[14] both Schleu and Raisner had faced legal action, with the German Animal Welfare Association filing a criminal complaint against the pair on August 13, 2021.[15] Schleu agreed to donate €500 to charity, defense attorneys said this did not constitute an admission of guilt.

In response to this issue, Modern pentathlon's governing body has voted to remove horse riding from in its programme at the Olympics after the Paris 2024 Games British media reported.[16]

Team events

With Lena Schöneborn, Schleu won the women's relay gold medal at the 2016 and 2017 World Championships.[17][18] Schleu had previously been in the 2012 women's relay gold medal-winning team with Schöneborn and Janine Kohlmann.[19] She had already won silver in 2011 with Schöneborn and Eva Trautmann, at both the European Championships and the World Championships.[20][21]

She was also part of the German women's relay team that won the silver medal at the 2014 and 2017 European Championship, alongside Lena Schöneborn.[22][23] She again won silver at the 2018 World Championships, this time with Ronja Steinborn.[24] At the 2013 European Championships, she won the bronze medal teaming with Schöneborn and Claudia Knack.[25]

At Junior level, she was part of the German team which won the mixed relay gold at the 2011 Junior World Championships.[26]

References
  1. "Pentathlon.org – Pentathlon.org". Archived from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  2. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Annika Schleu". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  3. "Annika Schleu: DVMF – Deutscher Verband für Modernen Fünfkampf". Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  4. ""Leider wird es immer ein Teil meiner Geschichte sein"". 31 May 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  5. "UIPM 2018 Pentathlon World Championships: Prokopenko (BLR) on top of the world at last". Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM). 12 September 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  6. "2008 European Junior Championships". Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM). 4 May 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  7. "Annika Schleu first to last in modern pentathlon horse debacle". Nine Wide World of Sports. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  8. "Stubborn horse costs Schleu a shot at modern pentathlon gold". Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  9. "Olympic modern pentathlon coach kicked out of Games for punching a horse". CBS News. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  10. "Tokyo Olympics 2020: Debate erupts over treatment of horses in modern pentathlon". The New Zealand Herald. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  11. "Werth schimpft über Fünfkampf-Quälerei". Sport1. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  12. "'Hau drauf!': Deutsche Trainerin nach Vorwürfen der Tierquälerei ausgeschlossen" ["Hit it!": German trainer disqualified after allegations of cruelty to animals]. Kleine Zeitung (in German). 7 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021. Ihr tue aber auch 'das Mädchen leid', die Opfer des Systems ihrer Sportart sei, betonte Werth.
  13. https://www.afpbb.com/articles/-/3384654
  14. "Germany to drop investigation into Olympic horse cruelty". AP News. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  15. https://www.afpbb.com/articles/-/3361665
  16. Olympics-Horse riding to be dropped from modern pentathlon
  17. "2016 UIPM Senior World Championships". Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM). 8 September 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  18. "2017 UIPM Senior World Championships". Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM). 25 March 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  19. "2012 UIPM Senior World Championships". Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM). 4 May 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  20. "2011 Senior European Championships". Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM). 4 May 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  21. "2011 UIPM Senior World Championships". Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM). 4 May 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  22. "2014 Senior European Championships". Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM). 4 May 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  23. "2017 European Senior Championships". Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM). 23 July 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  24. "2018 UIPM World Championships - Seniors". Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM). 28 October 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  25. "2013 Senior European Championships". Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM). 4 May 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  26. "2011 UIPM Junior World Championships". Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM). 4 May 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
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