Five star golden girls

The medal-winning pentathlon double act of Stephanie Cook and Kate Allenby was a real team effort.

Although Allenby was regarded as a better British bet for gold than her training partner, the bronze medal winner was more than happy to celebrate with first-placed Cook.

The pair came home first and third in the women's event - one of the last competitions to be decided on Sydney's final day of competition.

Stephanie Cook

As a qualified doctor and varicose veins specialist, Oxford graduate Steph Cook had to put her medical career on the sidelines to fulfil her potential as a pentathlete.

By the time Cook had gained her medical qualifications in 1997, she progressed from Varsity matches to a call-up to the national pentathlon squad, where she came fifth in her first World Cup event.

Steph Cook: Training for gold

Born in Scotland and based in Bath, Cook was a silver medalist in the individual event at this year's European Championships in July.

She has been the lynchpin in the gold medal winning relay teams over the last two seasons in both the European and World Championships.

Her ultimate strength is the speed of her running. Over the last couple of years Steph has been finishing over a minute quicker than any other pentathlete in the world.

It was one of the main reasons for her inclusion in the individual event and it showed as she powered past American Emily de Riel in the final event.

Kate Allenby

Allenby proved to be the support act to Cook, although it was no surprise to anyone that she was selected to fly the British flag in Australia.

Kate Allenby in training

The 26-year-old won the World Championships in 1998, a year after becoming European Champion in 1997 and claims she's hit the best form of her life with the Olympics just around the corner.

Although she was born in Devon, Allenby trains alongside Cook at the University of Bath sport's complex.

Kate went on to collect a bronze medal in her first World Junior Championships in modern pentathlon and showed her hard work had paid off by winning silver the following year.

Since then she has had the wind behind her sails and proved herself as one of the top female pentathletes in the world, winning European Championships and World Cups