“Oh my gosh! I haven’t grasped it yet, I’m kind of like ‘whoa, did that really just happen?’” said Kelly. “That was the mission and I am so thankful to everyone that has helped me along the way. There are so many people that even just a nice word of encouragement, the Army, coaches, teammates, family and friends. It’s unbelievable. This whole thing has been phenomenal. These Pan Am Games were so much fun. I was able to enjoy it and perform well. I wanted to use it as kind of a tool to gauge what it would be like at the Olympic Games and I feel like I achieved that. I’m happy with my performances today. It was stressful, it was really stressful out there and I pulled through with decent performances. You dream of it and you try to put everything in position so that you can have it and when it does you’re kind of like ‘did I really just do that?’ I’m ecstatic! I’m just so excited.”

Kelly scored a total of 5,484 total modern pentathlon points to finish with the bronze behind host country favorite Yane Marques of Brazil who won the gold with 5,484 and Canada’s Monica Pinette who grabbed the first NORCECA Olympic qualifying slot with her silver medal performance. Kelly started off with a shooting score of 170 for 976 modern pentathlon points. In the fence, she recorded 12 victories with 14 defeats. Her swim time was 2:26.75 for 1,160 points. Her riding score was 1,144. She entered the run in fifth place and picked off two competitors with her run time of 10:33.55, the second fastest run time, for 1,188 modern pentathlon points.

Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich./Colorado Springs, Colo.) looked to be in prime contention to make history following the swim and going into the ride, but it was not to be today as her horse refused seven jumps adding up numerous penalty points and not finishing the course in the allotted time. Taormina sat in third place following the swim but finished the event in 11th place, largely due to the poor riding score. Taormina’s total score was 4,112 total modern pentathlon points. She started off with a shooting score of 161 for 868 modern pentathlon points. Taormina also fenced her way to 12 victories while suffering 14 defeats. As usual, Taormina dominated the swim with a time of 2:07.36 for 1,392 points. The riding score of only 100 is what did in Taormina’s day today. Taormina finished the day with a running time of 11:28.18 for 968 modern pentathlon points.

“After the shoot, I thought ‘I’m not going to make this team’; then after the swim I was in position to make the team, but after the ride there was nothing more to say,” said Taormina. “I think the emotional roller coaster was the most difficult thing. After the swim I called my mom and said ‘Mom, I’m in a position to make the team, say a prayer’. I could use every bit of help especially a mother’s prayer. I was just hoping, it would have been such a relief (to have qualified for the Olympics). Being so new to these sports, it’s been really stressful to try to pick them up in time and try to be proficient at the international level. I think the stress over two years of trying to learn these has been immense. I was kind of like ‘oh please relieve this pressure now’. But I’ve always learned from these types of things. A sport has never made me cry, but this one has. It’s so emotional. Maybe what I’m trying to do I question it all the time. Maybe it’s too much. Maybe that’s why no one has done it (make the Olympics in three different sports). Maybe I’m too old; not physically but to go through these roller coaster of emotions. But I’ll bounce back. I’ve got good support from family, friends and coaches, U.S. Olympic Committee. I’ll bounce back. I’m really happy the United States has a medal and that Mickey got her Olympic slot. I’m happy for her, she deserves it. I’m going to try to figure out where I need to improve to hopefully be there with her as well.”

Taormina will have four more opportunities to make history by qualifying for her fourth U.S. Olympic Team in an unprecedented third sport. She will again have the opportunity at the 2007 World Championships, August 15-22 in Berlin, Germany. The top three medal winners will earn an automatic Olympic berth, as will the top finisher at the 2007 World Cup Final in September in Beijing, China. The top three finishers from the 2008 World Championships next May will also earn automatic berths. The remaining seven Olympic slots will be determined by the World Cup ranking from the Olympic qualifying season, June 2007 through June 1, 2008.

Taormina has already competed in the Olympic Games in the sports of swimming and triathlon. She won a gold medal in swimming at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga., swimming the third leg of the 800m freestyle relay. She finished sixth and 23rd, respectively, in the triathlon at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia and the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Taormina’s top modern pentathlon World Cup performance came in March 2007 when she won the silver medal at World Cup #2 in Cairo, Egypt.

Please see below for the results (top three, plus U.S. finishers) of today’s women’s competition:

2007 Pan American Games – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Women’s Event – Monday, July 23, 2007
Yane Marques (Brazil) – Gold Medal – 5,484 points
Shoot – 1,024 points (174)
Fence – 1,216 points (24 victories and two defeats)
Swim – 1,304 points (2:14.72)
Ride – 1,032 points
Run – 908 points (11:43.01)

Monica Pinette (Canada) – Bronze Medal – 5,288 points
Shoot – 1,048 points (176)
Fence – 964 points (17 victories and nine defeats)
Swim – 1,112 points (2:30.85)
Ride – 1,032 points
Run – 1048 points (11:08.75)

Mickey Kelly – Bronze Medal – 5,252 points
Shoot – 976 points (170)
Fence – 784 points (12 victories and 14 defeats)
Swim – 1,160 points (2:26.75)
Ride – 1,144 points
Run – 1188 points (10:33.55)

Sheila Taormina – 11th Place – 4,112 points
Shoot – 868 points (161)
Fence – 784 points (12 victories and 14 defeats)
Swim – 1,392 points (2:07.36)
Ride – 100 points (DNF)
Run – 968 points (11:28.18)

Please visit www.pentathlon.org or www.rio2007.org.br for complete results from the 2007 Pan American Games.

Dennis Bowsher (Dallas, Texas/Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) and Eli Bremer (Monument, Colo./Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force) will carry the flag for the Americans in the men’s modern pentathlon competition tomorrow, Tuesday, July 24.

In their first Pan American Games, Bowsher and Bremer will be shooting for their first U.S. Olympic Team. Bowsher enters with high hopes having won the silver medal at World Cup #5 in Drzonkow, Poland. Bremer’s top performance this season was a 16th place finish at World Cup #4 in Budapest, Hungary.

As was the case with the women, the 2007 Pan American Games marks the the first opportunity for the men to qualify themselves for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. The top two male and female finishers among the NORCECA (North American) countries, but not from the same country will earn an automatic bid to the 2008 Olympic Games. Similarly, the top two male and female finishers among the South American countries will also earn an automatic bid to Beijing. Athletes who do not qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games at the 2007 Pan American Games will also have opportunities to qualify at the 2007 World Modern Pentathlon Championships, the 2007 World Cup Final, the 2008 World Championships and through World Cup ranking points. The United States can qualify a maximum of two female and two male athletes for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Please see below for the remaining modern pentathlon competition schedule:

Tuesday, July 24, 2007 – Men’s Competition

U.S. Participants:
Dennis Bowsher (Dallas, Texas/Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
Eli Bremer (Monument, Colo./Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force)

Time; Event; Athlete (Hometown); Venue
09:00; Shooting; Deodoro Sports Complex Shooting 10m Shooting Range West End
10:15; Fencing; Deodoro Sports Complex Shooting 10m Shooting Range East End
13:25; Swimming; Deodoro Sports Complex Swimming Center
15:10; Riding; Deodoro Sports Complex Equestrian Center
17:00; Running; Deodoro Sports Complex Equestrian Center
18:00; Medal Ceremony; Deodoro Sports Complex Equestrian Center

Representing the United States of America in the sport of modern pentathlon at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil will be:

Women:
Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich./Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Michelle ”Mickey” Kelly (Chatham, N.Y./Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)

Men:
Dennis Bowsher (Dallas, Texas/Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
Eli Bremer (Monument, Colo./Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force)

Head Coach: Janusz Peciak (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Riding Coach: Michael Cintas (Rancho Mirage, Calif.)
Team Leader: Scott Novack (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

For more information, please contact Cecil Bleiker, United States Olympic Committee NGB Services Manager at 011-55-21-8890-3153. This press release is also available on the USOC’s media specific website at www.usocpressbox.org.