Paval Lednev, the 30-year-old Soviet champion, who has won two Olympic Bronze medals, romped away with the individual title at the World Modern Pentathlon Championships at Crystal Palace, U.K. on Sunday (9 September).

Ledney won the fencing and shooting events and was well placed in the riding and swimming to gain his first world title with 5,413 points. He won his Bronze Medals in last year's Munich Olympics and in Mexico in 1968.

Soviet Pent athletes Vladidimir Shmelev (5,268 points) and defending champion Boris Onichenko (5,198 points), took the Silver and Bronze Medals respectively.

The Russians retained the team title with 15,493 points with West Germany second (15,051 points) and Hungary third (14,856 points).

Victory in the final event went to Japan's Shoji Uchida, who beat 49 competitors from 18 countries over a tough 4,000 metres cross country course. He clocked a time of 13 minutes 13 seconds for the event, with Shmelev in second place.