Fencing world championships, female epee silver medalists
World Fencing Championships, results
Silver shines for Italy’s women’s epee, and it is already the eighth Italian medal at the World Championships in Milan 2023, in which the tricolor expedition continues to lead the Medal Book for Nations (2 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze). The swordsmen Rossella Fiamingo, Federica Isola, Mara Navarria and Alberta Santuccio climbed on the second step of the rainbow podium, confirming the same result of Cairo 2022 and putting in safe precious points for the Olympic Qualification in Paris 2024. In contrast, the saber team finished sixth.
A great test for CT Dario Chiadò’s girls who started the day with a 29-26 success in the quarterfinals against Hong Kong at the end of an assault conducted with great authority. The Italian epee girls then got the better of Switzerland 40-36 in a perfect semifinal, always leading, and closed with Rossella Fiamingo’s last hits that were worth the certainty of a medal. So it came down to the last act: a heart-stopping final against Poland for Italy, which surrendered only in the final seconds with the final score of 32-28, nevertheless coming out amid the applause of the Mi.Co. expo audience that tried to push the Azzurri throughout the match. A competition of great value, however, for CT Chiadò’s team that puts the silver medal around its neck, confirming for continuity of performance one of the strongest teams in the world.
Sixth position for the Italian men’s saber team. The Italian quartet composed of Enrico Berrè, Luca Curatoli, Michele Gallo and Luigi Samele was defeated in the quarterfinals by France after a very tight match that ended 45-43 for the transalpine formation. CT Nicola Zanotti’s boys then promptly recovered in the first match for the placings, overcoming Japan with a score of 45-43 and qualifying for the challenge for 5th place. The last match of the day for Italy ended with a loss against Germany 45-35 and the final 6th place ranking for Italy.
The morning also saw the first matches of the women’s foil and men’s epee draw. CT Stefano Cerioni’s female foilists (Alice Volpi, Arianna Errigo, Martina Favaretto and Francesca Palumbo) played their round of 16 match against Romania, dominating from the start with a 45-18 victory. Tomorrow at 10 a.m. the quarterfinals against Germany. There were two rounds for CT Dario Chiadò’s epee team. In the round of 16, Gabriele Cimini, Davide Di Veroli, Andrea Santarelli and Federico Vismara got the better of Brazil 44-21. Italy then drew, and won, against Egypt in the round of 16 44-25 earning them a place among the best eight teams in the world. Tomorrow the Azzurri will meet the Czech Republic in the quarterfinal draw at 10:50 a.m.
