Volha Silkina added a European relay gold medal to the world one won last month ©Getty Images

Belarus won the first gold medal of the European Modern Pentathlon Championships in Nizhny Novgorod as Volha Silkina and Anastasia Prokopenko distanced themselves from the opposition in the women's relay.

The Belarusians claimed the lead after two events and never relinquished it.

Thirty-six points ahead of hosts Russia, who were second, Belarus added to their lead in the showjumping and despite a fine effort from Poland in the laser-run, Belarus were convincing winners.

Polish duo Marta Kobetska and Natalia Dominyak began 14 seconds behind the Russians, but overcame the gap to win the silver medal.

Russia's Ulyana Batashova and Anna Buryak were third, with Italy fourth and the Czech pair fifth.

The winners' total was 1,430 points, with Poland back on 1,391.

Russia totalled 1,382.


Silkina, 26, has now won world and European relay titles this year.

Silkina won the world relay title alongside Iryna Prasiantsova in Cairo last month.

Prokopenko and Silkina are the two Belarusian women who have qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Next up at the European Modern Pentathlon Championships is the men's relay, which is scheduled for tomorrow.