publish time

26/06/2024

author name Arab Times

publish time

26/06/2024

Kuwait women's fencing team.
Fencers battling for glory.

KUWAIT CITY, June 26: Today marks the conclusion of the Asian Fencing Championship (men's and women's) for the general category, which began last Friday at the Fairgrounds Hall in Mishrif. The event was organized by the Kuwaiti Fencing Association and featured 350 players from 36 countries.

The tournament saw intense competition among the teams. The South Korean team clinched the top spot in the rankings, surpassing Japan, which had been leading in previous days. The Korean team secured the gold medal in the men's saber team competition by defeating Iran, which took the silver medal, while Hong Kong claimed the bronze. In the women's team epee competition, South Korea triumphed over China, which won the silver, with Hong Kong again taking the bronze. South Korea leads the overall rankings with 8 medals: four gold, one silver, and three bronzes. Japan follows in second place with the same number of medals (two gold, two silvers, and four bronzes), and China is third with 6 medals (one gold, three silvers, and two bronzes).

Abdul Karim Al-Shamlan, President of the Kuwaiti Fencing Association, noted that the Asian Championship continues to showcase strong performances, with the technical level of the competitions rising each day. He highlighted the presence of top Asian teams qualifying for the World Olympics, such as South Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Iran, and Kazakhstan. Al-Shamlan emphasized that hosting the Asian Championship in Kuwait greatly benefits Kuwaiti athletes, who gain valuable experience by competing against world-ranked athletes.

Rashid Al-Shamali, a member of the Board of Directors of the Kuwaiti Fencing Association and the technical director of the tournament, expressed his satisfaction with the championship's progress. He remarked that Asian teams have dominated fencing in recent years, with South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong securing the top three positions in the last World Championship. Al-Shamali added that this tournament in Kuwait offers a valuable opportunity for Asian teams to advance and develop, especially with the 2024 Paris Olympic Games approaching. He extended his best wishes to all participants.