Laura Asadauskaitė, pictured celebrating Olympic gold at London 2012, safely qualified for the final ©Getty Images

Two-time defending champion Laura Asadauskaite eased into the final of the women's individual event at the European Modern Pentathlon Championships in Minsk today.

The Lithuanian progressed through the semi-final in sixth place in Group A with 1,003 points.

She triumphed in the 2015 edition of the event in Bath, before successfully defending her crown last year in Sofia.

The London 2012 Olympic champion will hope to seal a fourth individual title at continental level, having also prevailed in Sofia in 2012.

Hungary's Sarolta Kovacs posted the best score of the day of 1,009 to lead the qualifying stakes.

Defending silver medallist Gulnaz Gubaydullina of Russia also safely progressed today ©Getty Images
Defending silver medallist Gulnaz Gubaydullina of Russia also safely progressed today ©Getty Images

Last year’s podium finishers Gulnaz Gubaydullina of Russia and Turkey’s İlke Özyüksel also each comfortably progressed.

Özyüksel, bronze medallist in Sofia, scored 993 points to qualify in first place from Group A.

Gubaydullina advanced sixth with a haul of 991.

The men's semi-final will take place tomorrow before the women's final on Saturday (July 22).