European Championships, gold to the Italian women swordsmen

Europeans, gold to the blue female swordsmen

È always great Italy at the European fencing championships in Basel. The blue women in epee won the continental gold that had been missing for 17 years, while the blue men’s foil è bronze. That brings the number of medals won so far to nine, with Italy increasingly leading after four days of competition.

Alberta Santuccio, Mara Navarria, Rossella Fiamingo and Giulia Rizzi climbed to the highest step of the podium, overcoming Hungary 38-31 in the final: the last success dated back to Ghent 2007 (then on the platform Boscarelli, Del Carretto, Cascioli and Moellhausen).

The lineup led by coach Dario Chiadò dominated the quarterfinal against Israel, winning 45-15. In the semifinals, success over France 32-31. Then the triumph over Hungary that guarantees the Italian women swordsmen the first place in the world ranking, with which they will arrive at the Olympic Games in Paris.

"It did not seem possible to get to be world number 1 team just a few months ago, we succeeded by deserving it, with our path in the Cup, and we confirm ourselves lassù winning this European that we have wanted for years, an immense joy for our team. È a historic result for Italy's women’s epee, and we are proud d'to have achieved it we, two Sicilian and two Friulian women, who are now aiming for Paris", the words of Rossella Fiamingo.

Bronze, however, for coach Stefano Cerioni’s men’s foil team. Individual gold and silver medalists Tommaso Marini and Alessio Foconi, Guillaume Bianchi and Filippo Macchi won the podium by dominating the challenge for third place against Poland, defeated 45-25.