Worlds, saberists d'gold after 10 years. Sabre fencers bronze

A great day for Italian fencing at the World Championships in Tbilisi. The Azzurri men’s saber under CT Andrea Terenzio climb to the top of the world 10 years after their last title in Moscow 2015 (this is the quartet in Russia: Enrico Berrè, Luca Curatoli, Diego Occhiuzzi and Aldo Montano). Luca Curatoli, Michele Gallo, Matteo Neri, and Pietro Torre won the rainbow title making Georgia play the Mameli Anthem for the second time in this edition. Bronze medal for CT Simone Vanni’s women’s foil team (Arianna Errigo, Martina Favaretto, Anna Cristino and Alice Volpi) who remain on the podium confirming the great value of the group.

The team of the Italian sabre fencers, composed of Luca Curatoli, Michele Gallo, Matteo Neri and Pietro Torre, after yesterday’s victorious debut in the round of 16 against Thailand 45-29, today in the round of 16 beat Germany with the result of 45-39 with a performance of great personality, immediately recovering a small initial disadvantage. In the quarterfinals, CT Andrea Terenzio’s boys overcame Poland 45-28 after a match conducted from the early stages, which seemed easy only because of the Azzurri (the Poles in the previous round had eliminated the United States), thus guaranteeing themselves a place in the semifinals. Another great show of strength the Italian quartet served it up to Japan in the semifinals, imposing 45-36, after a match conducted from the early stages, and gaining a pass to the rainbow final seven years after the last time (Wuxi 2018 edition, then it was silver with gold from Korea). It was a heart-stopping final for CT Andrea Terenzio’s Azzurri, who, down in the first four fractions, turned it around thanks to Curatoli’s 8-2 run that put Italy up 25-22. From then on, the Azzurri led until the 45-37 final, winning the rainbow title that had been missing since Moscow 2015. Ten years later Luca Curatoli is back on the first step, this time with him Michele Gallo, Matteo Neri and Pietro Torre who wrote another page of Italian fencing history.

Bronze, on the other hand, for Italy’s women foil fencers. Arianna Errigo, Martina Favaretto, Anna Cristino and Alice Volpi made their debut in the round of 16 by beating Romania with a score of 45-4, a scoreline that unequivocally tells the story of the assault. In the quarters, the Azzurri overcame Ukraine instead: after a balanced start, coach Simone Vanni’s team shifted gears midway through the match, then managed the lead and closed the match on 45-34. In the semifinals came the stop for Errigo & Co. who were overcome 45-34 by France, thus seeing themselves diverted to the bronze medal final against Japan. The Italian quartet composed of Arianna Errigo, Martina Favaretto, Anna Cristino, and Alice Volpi promptly bounced back by winning the bronze medal against the Japanese lineup 45-30, thus climbing the third step of the podium.

Tomorrow, on the eighth and penultimate day of the Tbilisi 2025 World Championships, no titles will be awarded but the first rounds of the last two team competitions of the rainbow program, the men’s epee and women’s saber competitions, will be on stage. Italy’s epee team will be on the podium with Davide Di Veroli, Matteo Galassi, Andrea Santarelli and Gianpaolo Buzzacchino: the Azzurri will skip the round of 64 by right and will make their debut in the 16th finals (at 9 a.m. Italian time) against the winner of Sweden-Turkmenistan. The saber quartet, on the other hand, will consist of Michela Battiston, Chiara Mormile, Eloisa Passaro and Mariella Viale. Debut for the women’s saber national team in the round of 16 against Iran (at 7:30 a.m. in Italy).