The opening ceremony of the UIPM Pentathlon World Championships 2026 was held on Aug 24 at Huaxihu Park in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province.

Until Aug 30, more than 500 top-tier athletes from over 50 countries and regions gathered in the city's scenic Huaxi district to compete across four disciplines – fencing, obstacle running, freestyle swimming, and laser run (combining running and laser pistol shooting) – in a showcase of peak athletic rivalry.

An ethnic performance at the opening ceremony of the UIPM Pentathlon World Championships 2026 in Guiyang. [Photo/WeChat account of Zhizhi Guiyang]

As the highest-level annual event sanctioned by the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM), the Pentathlon World Championships stand as the most representative and influential flagship competition outside the Olympic Games for the sport.

At the conclusion of the opening ceremony, a medal presentation ceremony for the men's relay event was held, marking the first batch of medals awarded in Asia since the implementation of the new competition format.

The men's relay winners collect their medals. [Photo/WeChat account of Zhizhi Guiyang]

A lakeside market was set up around the venue, bringing together specialty coffee, craft beer, intangible cultural heritage displays, and youth sports experience activities.

In parallel, a "ticket-stub economy" model was launched to integrate sports with tourism, allowing ticket holders to enjoy on-site gift packs (available only for semi-final and final tickets), accommodation discounts, dining offers, and free first-entrance admission to 10 A-level scenic spots, among other benefits.

These helped transform sports events into powerful engines for the high-quality development of the summer retreat economy in Guiyang City and Gui'an New Area.

Guizhou specialty products at the lakeside market. [Photo/WeChat account of Zhizhi Guiyang]