BARCELONA ’92 OLYMPICS: DAY 3 : DAILY REPORT : MODERN PENTATHLON : Gostigian Helps Carry U.S. to Third After 3 Events

Michael Gostigian of Newtown Square, Pa., swam 300 meters in 3:13.94 to finish second in the event and lift the United States to third place in the standings after three events. Poland won the shooting competition and moved into the lead, followed by the CIS. The United States placed fifth in shooting.

In the shooting event, competitors use a .22-caliber pistol and shoot at a revolving target 25-meters away. Each athlete shoots four rounds of five shots each.

After three events, Arkadiusz Skrzypaszek of Poland leads the competition with 3,372 points. Rob Stull of Austin, Tex., is in seventh place with 3,215 points. A three-time Olympian, Stull, 21, is the only U.S. athlete to compete on two teams in Seoul in 1988, the modern pentathlon and epee fencing.

Gostigian is 13th and James Haley of Lake City, Fla. is 17th. Gostigian was the highest-ranking U.S. athlete in last year’s World Championships with a ninth-place finish.

Today the 4,000 meter cross-country run is scheduled.