Japan and South Korea end Asian Fencing Championships with team gold medals

New Delhi: The 26th Asian Senior Fencing Championships reached a thrilling climax at Bharat Mandapam on Tuesday as the final two team titles were decided, with Japan producing a masterclass in precision and tactical excellence to claim the men's foil gold medal. Led by individual champion Kyosuke Matsuyama, the formidable Japanese quartet of Kazuki Iimura, Shunsuke Baba and Ryoga Ono showcased exceptional blade-work, defensive discipline and strategic awareness to dominate the competition and finish atop the podium in one of the tournament's most fiercely contested events.

Hong Kong, China, featuring two-time Olympic Individual Champion Cheung Ka Long, Ryan Choi Chun Yin, Harris Ho Shing Him, and Leung Chin Yu, launched a fierce campaign to claim a well-deserved silver medal. The physically imposing roster from China, comprising Yifan Guo, Weiqiao Lyu, Jie Xu, and Zhaoran Zeng, locked down the bronze medal.

The high-stakes endurance barrier of the Women's Epee team category saw similarly fierce tactical adjustments as nations fought to maximize their final point hauls. The powerhouse squad from South Korea, fielding the formidable lineup of Lee, Lim, Song, and Yang, put on a dominant technical performance to capture the gold medal.

They defeated China’s skilled unit of Liu, Tang, Yang, and Yu, who took home the silver medal. The contingent from Kazakhstan, represented by Andreyeva, Bakaldina, Samodelkina, and Nikolaichuk, secured the bronze medal to complete the podium following an outstanding and resilient tournament run.

Host nation India showed clear technical growth and marked a monumental developmental step forward while matching up against Asia's elite, deeply seasoned Olympic-cycle structures. In the Men’s Foil Team category, the local rotation of Sachin, Sanasam Hemash Singh, Tejas Manoj Patil, and Aditya relied on rapid blade-work and close-quarter infighting.

Backed by an electric home crowd, they minimized unforced errors and stayed highly competitive in their middle-relay blocks against world-class opposition to secure an impressive 8th position, locking in a direct qualification spot for the upcoming Asian Games. Meanwhile, the Women’s Épée Team of Prachi Lohan, Taniksha Khatri, Mitva Jesangbhai Chaudhari, and Yashkeerat Kaur Hayer brought immense tactical grit to the strip. Building on individual baselines, the local foursome successfully managed the clock and distance against towering continental units to show outstanding structural resilience and lock down a solid 9th-place ranking.

India, however, suffered a blow on the penultimate day as Bhavani Devi, who became the first-ever Indian fencer to qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020,  was banned after she threw away her equipment in anger following a duel. 

Tags : Bhavani Devi, fencing, asian championships, bharat mandapam