By Paul Martin in Paris

Joe Choong is unlikely to try and regain his Olympic crown in LA as he reckons modern pentathlon will feel ‘like a different sport’.

The Tokyo gold medallist finished ninth in Paris, paying for a slow start which left him with plenty of ground to make up.

He enjoyed an improved final day, winning his 200m freestyle swim and clocking the fastest time in the laser run, but left his charge too late to bank another medal.

Choong’s beloved sport will replace showjumping with obstacles in LA, as the Ninja Warrior-style course enters the fray, but the 29-year-old is not sure he’ll be there to see it in action.

“In terms of having the most diverse sport here, you can’t replace working with another living animal with anything else,” he said.

“I’m sure obstacles is a great sport on its own but I wish they could find their own way into the Olympics rather than piggybacking into our sport.

“It doesn’t appeal but I’ll make a decision once I’ve had some time away from the sport.

“I don’t think obstacles will be much of a challenge, it’s quite a simple sport to pick up, especially compared to horse riding.

“I’ll have a break to clear my head and work out what I want to do. I think I’ll give it a go for a year, enjoy it for a year and it’s very possible I’ll stop.

“It's just a different sport. Modern pentathlon has the history and we just lose all that.”

Choong went on to describe the process behind the decision to shake up the format, which came following a German coach punching a horse in Tokyo, as ‘opaque’.

“You have to accept it, we weren’t listened to and if you keep banging your head against a brick wall, all you do is cut your head,” he said.

“I stand by what I said, it was a disappointing process, but you have to pick your battles.

“Riding was the last sport I picked up, I’m from the least horsey background you could think of, I’m from South London.

“I learned when I was 15, I’m not perfect but I’ve grown to love it and I think it’s an amazing sport. I took a moment to have a look around after this one as it was the most amazing atmosphere I’ve ever ridden in.”

Choong has cut a frustrated figure throughout his time in Versailles, in part due to the non-selection of his girlfriend, Olivia Green.

The decision impacted preparations for his third Olympics and he felt he was not in the right headspace to defend his title.

“The saying goes ‘a happy athlete is a good athlete’ and I think that’s true,” he said.

“I’ve not been completely happy with the training environment in the last couple of months and the decision around not bringing my girlfriend

“I have had a really intense last two months, I’ve not been particularly happy.

“I didn’t quite understand the decision making process and it has been difficult to work through that.

“It has felt like I’ve had to put that behind me and focus on myself but it did make a job harder from a mental point of view.”

For all his disappointment, however, Choong is not quite ready to hang up his sabre, goggles and spikes just yet.

“I need to find the love for the sport again,” he said.

“But I don’t want to end on ninth. I’m an Olympic champion and double world champion for a reason.

“I left it all out there, I moved up a lot of places and there’s nothing else I could do. At the end of the day, I still have that gold medal in my drawer at home.”

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