Italy end home wheelchair fencing World Cup with double gold

22/11/2021

The Italian men’s sabre and women’s foil teams finished their home International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) Wheelchair Fencing World Cup on a high on Sunday (21 November), clinching double gold in Pisa.

Pictures for editorial purposes are available at the IWAS Flickr. Full results can be viewed here.

In two incredibly tense finals, the men took on Hungary whilst the women faced Hong Kong.

In the foil, just two hits separated Italy and Hong Kong for gold.

Loredana Trigilia put in a great leg for the hosts against Nga Ting Tong to claim the lead. But Ka Man Lam responded immediately to re-take it against Alessia Biagini.

Andreea Mogos turned the tables again shortly after but seven-time Paralympic champion Yu Chui Yee made sure Hong Kong kept in touch.

Biagini and then Trigilia managed to extend their team’s lead further but Yee was an ever-present threat in the final round. Delivering nine successful hits, her strong effort saw her outwit Mogos, but the Italian managed to land five of her own to bag victory.

Georgia’s Gvantsa Zadishvili, Nino Tibiliashvili and Irma Khetsuriani overcame France for bronze.

In the sabre team the Italians managed to hold on for the win despite an impressive final round surge from European individual bronze medallist, Richard Osvath. The Hungarian managed to land an incredible 16 hits against Edoardo Giordan to bring his team to within five points of the lead from a 15-point deficit.

Italy had however already taken control of the match as Matteo Dei Rossi, Giordan and Gianmarco Paolucci out-fenced their opponents for the majority of the clash. Giordan kept his head despite an advancing Osvath to seal the win.

Osvath, Sandor Zsolnai and Istvan Tarjanyi settled for silver.

In the bronze medal match Ludovic Lemoine was the hero, ensuring France were first to reach 45 points in a close tie against Germany.

Lemoine, Moez El Assine and Laurent Vadov claimed the third podium spot.

The Pisa 2021 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing World Cup was the final competition of 2021. All four competition days from 18-21 November can be watched back at the IWAS YouTube Channel.

Fencers will return to Pisa for the opening World Cup of the season from 17-20 March, ahead of the return of regional Championships in the Americas, Asia and Europe in 2022.

The full calendar can be viewed here.