Vakalis books ticket to Rio at Pan Am Games

With an improbable push to the finish, University of Toronto Varsity Blue Donna Vakalis finished fourth in the modern pentathlon at the 2015 Pan American Games on Saturday at the Pan Am Aquatics Centre.
 
Sitting 11th after three events, Vakalis dominated in the combined event of running and shooting to catapult the standings into fourth place, just missing the bronze medal but earning one of the five available qualifying spots for the upcoming 2016 Rio Olympics. Vakalis also competed at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Vakalis has done it all during her time at the University of Toronto. After completing an undergraduate degree at McMaster, Vakalis completed her Master's in architecture at U of T and is now pursuing her PhD in civil engineering.  

During her time with the Varsity Blues, Vakalis earned OUA fencing all-star honours this past season. She has also competed on the cross country and track and field squads, while training with U of T's swimming program.

Modern pentathlon includes the following five events: fencing, swimming, equestrian, running and shooting, and all take place in one day.

Source: Toronto Varsity Blues