The nature of the sport undoubtedly has a lot to do with it: fencing has a sense of timing. After making the news with the affair of Ukrainian athlete Olga Kharlan, the 2023 world championships ended at the end of July in Milan, Italy, exactly one year before the Paris 2024 Games. test event of the discipline for the next Games – a technical and operational test implemented by the COJO – followed at the beginning of August, at the Grand Palais, the Olympic and Paralympic site. At the same period, also, as the future events of the Games.
When it comes time to take stock, the 2023 Worlds weigh heavily. In total, 1.054 athletes from 115 nations competed for the titles, including 26 to 31 fencers among the top 32 in the FIE world rankings in individual disciplines. A large and passionate audience. And, in the first row of guests at the opening ceremony on July 25, Sergio Mattarella, the President of the Italian Republic.
Proof of the growing universality of fencing: 15 nations from the four geographical zones of the FIE won at least one medal. Italy dominated the debates, with ten places on the podium (including 4 gold titles), followed by Hungary (4 medals, including 3 gold), Japan (4 medals, including 2 gold), France (6 medals, including 1 gold), the United States (4 medals, including 1 gold), Poland (1 gold), South Korea (3 medals), Greece (2 medals), and the China (2 medals). Georgia, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan and Venezuela also feature in the medal table.
The trend is not new, but it is confirmed: Asia is moving forward at full speed. In Milan, its fencers won 11 medals. The continent owes it to five nations: Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong and Kazakhstan. Great first in the history of the world event: Asia won all three medals in the men's foil team event on Sunday July 30, with Japan ahead of China and Hong Kong.
The universality of fencing, once again confirmed in Milan, should be further strengthened at the Paris 2024 Games. The Olympic qualification period began on April 3. It will end on April 30, 2024 with the zone qualification events. The numerous competitions on the calendar should bring their share of surprises, but the provisional classification of the road to Olympic qualification, published by the FIE on its website, illustrates this without nuance: fencing is becoming more and more important each time. season as a global sport. As of July 30, 2023, the four geographic zones (Europe, America, Africa and Asia-Oceania), and 37 nations, were represented.
Bruno Gares, member of the executive committee of the international body (FIE), explains: “ The level continues to rise. The universality of fencing, observed among young people for several years, is also increasingly evident among seniors. Not just through participation, but also through performance. »
In Milan, the FIE not only distributed the world titles. The body also deployed the range of its development, aid and education programs: training camp for athletes, donations of fencing equipment (Donate Your Fencing Gear), Fair Play, Fencing for the Planet and protection stands (Safeguarding).
Interim President of the FIE, the Greek Emmanuel Katsiadakis closed the 83rd world championships : “I would like to congratulate our new individual and team world champions for their excellent performances during these championships in the beautiful city of Milan, the last of the senior Olympic cycle. They have once again illustrated the impressive support from the entire planet for fencing and the talent of our athletes. The spirit of fencing is alive and well. »
