#Jakarta2018: Men’s epee category A preview

By Saniya Surana and IWAS

The 2018 Asian Para Games – the third edition of the multisport event – will get underway in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 6 October.

The 2018 International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports (IWAS) Wheelchair Fencing Asian Championships will take place as part of the Games from 7-11 October.

A fierce competition is expected as wheelchair fencers from across the region go for gold ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Men’s epee category A

The men’s epee category A features some exciting rivalries.

China’s Sun Gang is the headline act as the Paralympic champion from Rio 2016.

But teammate Jianquan Tian will be looking to end the dominance of his compatriot as the Paralympic bronze medallist. Tian is also the defending Asian champion having overcome Iraq’s Zainulabdeen Al-Madhkhoori for gold in 2017. He will also compete in Jakarta.

Al-Madhkhoori just missed out on a podium place in Rio after losing to Tian in the bronze medal match.

Looking to make an impact on the more experienced fencers is Kuwait’s Abdullah Alkhaldi.

The youngster won bronze in the under 17 foil category A earlier this year at the European Championships held in Warsaw, Poland. In the same competition,  Alkhaldi ranked sixth in the epee.

Also look out for Thailand’s Chaichan Jongjairak, 42, who claimed bronze at the World Cup in Montreal, Canada, in the epee team and eighth in the individual.

The 2018 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing Asian Championships will attract around 70 of the region’s best wheelchair fencers from 11 countries.

Results will be available here.