Team golds for Ukraine, Russia, close wheelchair fencing European Championships

Action at the 2018 Internatonal Wheelchair and Amputee Sports (IWAS) Wheelchair Fencing European Championships concluded on Sunday (22 September) with team golds for Ukraine and Russia in Terni, Italy.

In the women’s sabre it was up to the heavily decorated Ukrainian team of Yevheniia Breus, Nadia Doloh, Natalia Morkvych and Olena Fedota to see off a challenge from Italy in the final.

Ukraine, the world and defending champions, started strong but Italy’s Andrea Mogos mounted a comeback in the second assault, ending it 10-9 in her team’s favour.

Later Ukraine took the lead, finishing the fourth attack 20-18. As they increased their advantage even another attempt by Mogos was not enough to end the Ukranian advance.  Ukraine sealed the title with a 45-28 win to retain their gold from 2016.

The victory adds to Fedota’s sabre category B gold from earlier in the week while Morkvych’s reached the same feat in the sabre category A.

Breus and Doloh meanwhile share a total of four silver and bronzes from Terni in addition the their sabre team triumph.

Marta Nocent, Loredana Triglia and Rosanna Paquino claimed the silver for Italy alongside Mogos.

Hungary overcame Georgia for bronze with Hungary’s Amarilla Veres, Eva Andrea Hajmasi and Mezo Boglarka posting a 45-39 win for the last place on the podium.

In the men’s epee team, defending champions Russia emerged the winners from a repeat of the final from the last Euros two years ago against France.

Roman Fedyaev, Maxim Shaburov, Alexander Kuzyukov and Artur Yusopov proved to be an unstoppable force, entering the event with two individual golds and two bronzes between them.

The Russians closed the first assault 5-0 up against the French team of Robert Citerne, Marc Andre Citerne, Romain Noble and Peter Yohan. However Noble managed to come back in the next to post a lead of 10-8.

But Russia had the individual European champion Maxim Shaburov in their armoury. He regained the advantage before Kuzyukov put more distance between his team and France. Russia continued to increase their lead and the match ended 45-22.

Ukraine’s Anton Datsko, Andrii Demchuk, Maksym Mahula and Oleg Naumenko secured the bronze after a 45-43 win against Italy.

The 2018 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing European Championships run until 23 September.

Results are available here. More information about the Championships is available on the official website.

Terni 2018 was the second major regional Championships taking place this year. The Americas Championships in Saskatoon, Canada, from 14-16 September, were the first.

Following the Europeans, the Asian Championships will take place as part of the Asian Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 6-10 October.