A total of 450 competitors from 20 countries will take part in the Laser-Run World Championships in Dublin this weekend ©UIPM

Irish modern pentathlon Olympians Arthur Lanigan O'Keeffe and Natalya Coyle will be among the leading contenders for individual honours as Dublin hosts the fourth Laser-Run World Championship this weekend.

O'Keeffe, who competed at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games, finishing eighth at the latter, and who won the European title in 2015, said: "I am really excited about these Championships coming to Ireland.

"This is a fast-paced and dynamic event, which will be a great showcase for our sport.

"And it has the bonus of taking place right in the heart of Dublin in Smithfield Square."

Coyle, who came sixth at Rio 2016, said: "I can’t' wait to compete in this event and I am thrilled that the public will get the opportunity to try the sport too.

Ireland's Natalya Coyle, sixth in the modern pentathlon at the Rio 2016 Games, will be taking part in the Laser-Run World Championships in Dublin this weekend ©Getty Images
Ireland's Natalya Coyle, sixth in the modern pentathlon at the Rio 2016 Games, will be taking part in the Laser-Run World Championships in Dublin this weekend ©Getty Images

"The schools laser run could unearth the next future star for Pentathlon Ireland."

The event in and around Trinity College will involve more than 450 competitors from over 20 countries.

A full programme of events has been organised including a Primary School Laser-Run National Championships taking place.

There is also an evening open competition, giving the public the opportunity to try the event for themselves.

It will be the third time the World Championships have taken place in Europe.

Perpignan in France hosted the inaugural Championship in 2015, followed by the Portuguese capital Lisbon in 2016.

The South African city of Cape Town staged last year's Championships, where home athlete Pieter Oosthuizen won the men's individual title and teamed up with Alida van der Merwe to earn victory in the mixed relay.

The South African duo were 34 seconds quicker than the Finnish pairing of Eevi Bengs, silver medallist in the women's individual, and Tiitus Ammala.

Sanruthai Aransiri and Khuanchai Khosinklang of Thailand came through to take the bronze medal.

The laser-run was created by the International Modern Pentathlon Union in 2015 as a fast-paced spin-off of the main Olympic event, mirroring the last two of the five designated disciplines.

The event is designed to be easy to stage and has featured participants across a broad age range.

Laser-run involves four rounds of laser pistol shooting from a 10 metres distance, incorporated into four 800m runs.

Athletes have to hit the target five times before they can set off on the run.