Preparations are continuing ahead of the 2009 Modern Pentathlon World Championships, which will be the first major championships in an Olympic sport to be held in London ahead of the 2012 Olympics.

The event, which will get underway on 13 August, is to be held at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre and will the first to feature the sport's new combined run/shoot format alongside the existing disciplines of fencing, swimming and equestrian. Crystal Palace was the venue of the first international one-day modern pentathlon competition in 1977, while also hosting the first women's world championships in 2001.

Pentathlon GB chief executive Peter Hart said: "The World Championships are an important milestone in our preparation towards the London 2012 Olympic Games, both for athletes and officials."