Name

Sheila Taormina

Leila Gyenesei

Date of birth

03/18/69

22.04.1986.

Nationality

USA

Hungarian

Height and weight

5'3"   120 lbs

180cm-60kg

Eyes and hair colour

Brown and brown

Green and blond

What did you study and/or what are you studying?

Studied business

I’m learning communications in university of Kaposvár.

Sport you played before pentathlon

Swimming and triathlon

Triathlon and cross-country skiing.

What sport did you play at the Olympic games you participated in?

Swimming and triathlon

Cross-country ski.

Olympic games you partecipated in

1996 (swimming)  
2000 & 2004 triathlon

2006.Turin.

Your best results in your first sport

Swimming: Olimpic gold medal
(4x200 in Atlanta 1996)

Triathlon: Junior World ch. 9th in 2003.
National champion

Your best results in your second sport

Triathlon: World Champion 2003 and
6th place in Sidney 2000

Cross country skiing: National champion
Dachstein marathon 1st  in junior

Why did you leave your sport for trying pentathlon?

To try to make
Olympics in 3rd sport. 

I had a car accident during cycling training.
After I didnt want to ride bicycle anymore.

When did you start your modern pentathlon carreer?

2005

2006. Immediality after Olympic games.

How did you arrive in the modern pentathlon world?

Janusz Peciak  taught me

I found a very good team in Székesfehérvár where Zsuzsanna Vörös and Viktor Horváth are also trained. They receive me very friendly and I joined the club.

What do you think about this new world?

Very challenging

I like it very much. This new world is really interesting and complicated in same time.
 I'm enjoying!!

What is the biggest difference between pentathlon and the sport you played  before?

The mental concentration is very tough in pentathlon

The cross country and the triathlon is depend on endurance much more than technical and mental prepare.

Have you changed city for training pentathlon?

No

Yes, I moved to Székesfehérvár where is the one of the best modern pentathlon club in Hungary.

Who is the athlete who helps you more in this change?

No athlete, Janusz Peciak, coach

Zsuzsanna Vörös

Who is the coach who helps you more in this change?

Janusz

Antal Kulcsár

Where the changing  has been easy?

Physical training

Running, swimming and shooting look a little bit easier than the other two technical events.

Where the changing  has been difficult?

Time management and mental
 concentration. 

Fencing and horse riding.

Best  event into the 5

Swimming

Swimming

Worst event into the 5

Depends on the day.  Shoot, fence, ride

Fencing

Where do you think you can improve more?

Shoot, fence, ride, run

Fencing and horse riding

What  is the main  difference between you and the other pentathletes?

I am older, yet I am new

I have one/two strong event  and weak event in same time. I think, I can’t do average level in one day. I have to understand I can be in the top and bottom also...

What will be your next competition?

World cup in 2008 in Cairo

Junior World Championship will be my last competitions in this year.
( n.d.r. JWChampionships has been already held in september in Caldas da Rainha)

What is your best results in modern pentathlon?

2nd place 2007 Cairo  World cup

National champion in senior and junior,
Junior European Champion in relay!

What is your situation about olympic qualify?

Do not know           

We have a strong team. Actually I’m not thinking about my chance. I would like to prepare as well as I can and we will see than how is my shape.

Do you know the names of some  pentathlon champions of the past?

Of course.

Yes, but I still learning... I know specially the hungarian “big” moderrn pentathlonist!

According to you who is the best woman pentatlete at the moment?

It depends on the day.  There about 15 women who could win on any given day.

In my opinion, many girls can win in different races but few of them can win again and again. So I think Zsuzsanna Vörös is still one of the best, already more than 10 years.

What do you think about the other interviewed?

I have great respect
for her and all competitors

She is amazing!!! She won almost everything and she still very motivated. I think everybody can learn many from her.

What do you think about the combined event?

It is great

I  have many problem and question with it. We can’t compare with biathlon and modern pentathlon at all. But the changes our running and shooting totally similar than in biathlon. Its would be a bad system. This isn’t a right way to change something.

What do you think about men pentathlete?

They are very good

I  dont think so much of them except Viktor Horváth. I hope he will be as strong as in next season as he was in previous.

What do you think about the organisation of pentathlon competitions?

Some are organized very well, and others need to do a better job. It is good that it is all in one day.

It depends on the competiton.  Some of them are very good. And this one day competiton is one of the hardest thing that I have ever done...

Do you prefer 25mt pool or 50mt pool?

Does not matter.  I like them  both

It doesn’t matter for me. I like both.

Do you prefer electric o electronic targets?

Does not matter.  I like  them both

Electric is better.

Do you prefer grass or pavement running?

Does not matter.  I like them both

GRASS!!! This is protect everybody legs!!

Do you prefer in the fencing fèche or parry?

Do not know enough about fencing to know what I like or dislike.  I have so much to learn 

Maybe parry.

Do you prefer easy or difficult riding?

I like them both

I still prefer easy riding but I hope I will develope a lot in next years and if you ask me  few years later my answer will be different!

Are you married or engaged?

That is private information

I’m living in relation but I’m not engaged.

Was your family happy about the change you made?

They support any sport or activity I do. 
 They have enjoyed learning about pentathlon

They accept my decision and they are very happy  because they know  I enjoy this life very much.

What are your  hobbies?

I like my cats, reading, and home improvement projects

 I love to be with my boyfriend and my family and I like to do many different sport as well.

What are the 3 sports you prefer practising?

I like all 5 sports the same in pentathlon to train

Alpine skiing, tennis and squash.

What are the 3 sports you prefer watching?

Tennis, athletics, swimming

I like almost everything to watch but specially track and fields, tennis and swimming are interesting for me.

What kind of book do you read?

Biographies, novels
(John Steinbeck is my favorite author)
 

Unfortunately school books are most but in the summer I like to read many kind of books.

What was the last book you read?

Biography on John Rockefeller

That was the story about Monty Roberts.

What kind of music do you usually listen to?

Contemporary, soft rock,  musicals

Soft rock is my favourite.

What was the last “cd” you bought?

The musical to Aida

I use mp3... I dont remember when i bought my last cd and what was it.

Do you prefer “Harry Potter” or “The lord of rings”?

Lord of the  Rings 

The lord of the rings!

Do you prefer “Star wars” or “Star Trek”?

Neither, but if I have to pick, then Star Wars

I don’t like both.

Do you prefer Carl Lewis or Jan Torpe?

Ian Thorpe

Ian Thorpe.

Do you prefer Baudelaire or Withman?

Whitman        

Baudelaire.

Do you prefer Ferrari or Porche?

Porche

A beautiful red Ferrari. That isn’t a question!!!

Do you prefer italian or french food?

Italian

I like both.

Do you prefer “spumante” or “champagne”?

Champagne        

Champagne (at the top of the podium)!

Do you prefer disco or pub?

Pub

Pub.

Do you prefer sea or montain?

Sea

Tropical sea.

Do you prefer cine or dvd?

Dvd

Dvd.

Do you prefer love or sex?

That is a personal question; I do not think appropriate for pentathlon interviews 

Absolutely love!!!!

What do you think about www.pentathlonmoderno.it

The feedback I get from family and friends who are trying to find results is that it is very difficult to find results on the website.
 

It’s a very interesting home page for modern pentathlon fun, athlete and everybody who like to do or watch this sport.

Do you have some advice to give us?

Make it easier to find results on the website so that people can follow the sport easily and do not give up in learning about pentathlon because information is too difficult to find.

Please continue this job and make more popular the pentathlon.

Some advice for the young pentathletes

The athlete who is a hard worker will be in the position to win when the opportunity comes

Train hard and  enjoy to be a pentathlete!!

Say hallo originally to the readers

Two Bible verses I think about most:  
Matthew 6:21
For where your treasure is there will your heart be also."  
And Proverbs 27:1 
 "Do not boast about tomorrow for you do not know what a day may bring forth." 
                         Sheila Taormina

See you!!!!

Leila Gyenesei