It started landslides, destroyed buildings, and triggered a major rescue operation involving emergency services and more than 2,000 troops.

Joe Evans, Britain's only qualifier for the final, admitted that the earthquake was a major shock to him. 

"I had just got up when the building started shaking," said the 19-year-old from the University of Bath.

"I went over to the window and could see slates coming off the roof on the other side of the road.

"I didn't know what was going on and thought 'what en earth was that'. It probably went on for about 10 or 20 seconds.

"Fortunately everyone here was fine." 

More than a 100 people were killed in the earthquake 70 miles from Chengdu, but the men's race in the UIPM World Cup event went ahead as scheduled

But the UIPM event went ahead at the Pierre de Coubertin Modern Pentathlon Stadium, with Ukraine's Pavlo Tymoshchenko (pictured top) adding the men's gold medal to the one his compatriot Ganna Buryak claimed in the women's event yesterday.

After excelling in the morning fencing, where the 26-year-old from Kyiv took 1024 points with 26 victories from 35 bouts, Tymoshchenko had made up for his lack of speed in the pool with a steady ride to stay in contention before the ultimate event of the day.

In the combined, his aim was near-perfect and he was running effortlessly around the course.

Keeping his nerve when he needed it most, he was first away from the range after the last round of shooting. 

"I knew it would be my day today," he said.

"I was very confident after winning the fencing. I really enjoyed it, and then in the combined I was hardly missing in the shooting.

"I stayed focused until the end.

"This victory is for all my family and all my supporters in Ukraine."

The event also saw a first ever appearance on a senior international circuit podium for South Korea's Woo Jin Lee.

The 20-year' came second in the showjumping, a result that saw him amongst the frontrunners on the combined starting grid.

From there he was very controlled and smooth with his pistol to finish just behind Tymoshchenko and take home the silver.

Bronze went to France's Valentin Belaud, last year's junior world champion, as Russia's senior world champion Aleksander Lesun again struggled, having to settle for seventh.

The earthquake did not affect the UIPM World Cup in Chengdu

For Jan Bartu, Pentathlon GB Performance Director, the experience of being in an earthquake was not a new one.

"I've been through a few earthquakes before and the shockwaves were fairly long today," he said.

"It was a big scare, especially when you're in a building which is shaking.

"The area is prone to shaking and the modern buildings are built with anti-earthquake features.

"We're all fine."

UIPM President Dr h.c. Klaus Schormann claimed that the event had never been in danger.

"Despite the earthquake this morning, we are happy that everything could continue as normal," he said.

"Our thoughts go out to all those affected by this tragedy."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
April 2013: Ukrainian makes senior breakthrough with victory at World Cup in Chengdu
April 2013: Chengdu set to host third round of UIPM World Cup