Fencing – Champions
The Fédération Internationale d’Escrime (FIE) or the International Fencing Federation is the governing body of the Olympic fencing. It also assists the International Olympic Committee in the organization of fencing events at Summer Olympics. The head office of FIE is at Maison du Sport International in Lausanne, Switzerland. The FIE is composed of 145 federations, each of which represents the Olympic fencing committee of that country.
The World Fencing Championship is an annual fencing competition organized by FIE and is the second most prominent fencing competition after Olympics. The Fencing World Cup is an international fencing competition held by FIE. For the ranking of an individual fencer, the first top five results from Fencing world cup, as well as Fencing championship results, Olympic game results and zonal championship results are also taken in to account.
Let us now discuss briefly about the careers of some famous Fencing players who have gone on to become the champions of this sport.
Stanislav Pozdnyakov
Stanislav Pozdnyakov was born on 27th September 1973 and belongs to Russia. His weapon is sabre and he is right-handed. He won four golds in Olympic Games out of which one is from individual while rest are from team event.
In World Fencing Championship, he won ten golds, five silvers, and two bronzes. After retiring from the sport, he is now continuing as one of the official in FIE.
Alexandr Romankov
Alexandr Romankov was born on 7th November 1953 and belongs to Soviet Union. His weapon was foil and he was left-handed. In 1976 Olympics, he won a silver in foil individual event. In 1980 Olympics, he won one silver in team event and one bronze in foil individual.
In 1988 Olympics, he won a gold in foil team event and one bronze in foil individual event. He won World Cup in 1974 and 1976. He was world champion in individual events from 1977 to 1983 and in team events from 1981 to 1989. He was also world champion in both individual and team events in 1974, 1979, and 1982.
Pavel Kolobkov
Pavel Kolobkov was born on 22nd September 1969 and belongs to Russia. His weapon is epee and he is right-handed. He won one gold, one silver and one bronze in Olympic Games in individual events and one silver and two bronzes in team events.
In World Fencing Championships, he won four golds, one silver and two bronzes in individual events and one silver and one bronze in team events. In European Championships, he won two golds, three silvers, and four bronzes in individual events and one silver and one bronze in team events.
Christian d’Oriola
Christian d’Oriola was born on 3rd October, 1928 and belongs to France. His weapons were foil and epee and he was right-handed. In Olympics, he won two golds, and one silver in individual events and two golds and one silver in team events.
In World Fencing Championships, he won four golds and one silver in individual events and four golds and two silvers in team events. He died at the age of 79 in France.
Jerzy Pawlowski
Jerzy Pawlowski was born on 25th October 1932 and belongs to Poland. His weapon was sabre and he was right-handed. In Olympics, he won one gold and one silver in individual event and two silvers and one bronze in team events.
In World Fencing Championships, he won three golds, four silvers, and one bronze in individual events and four golds, two silvers, and four bronzes in team events. He died at the age of 72 at Poland.
Valentina Vezzali
Valentina Vezzali was born on 14th February 1974 and belongs to Italy. Her weapon is foil and she is right-handed. In Olympics, she won three golds, one silver, and one bronze in individual events and three golds and one bronze in team events.
In World Championships, she won six golds, two silvers, and four bronzes in individual events and ten golds and five silvers in team events.
In European Championships, she won five golds, three silvers, and two bronzes in individual events and eight golds, one silver and one bronze in team events.
Yelena Jemayeva
Yelena Jemayeva was born on 30th March 1971 and belongs to Azerbaijan. Her weapon is Sabre and she is right-handed. In World Fencing Championships, she won two golds, one silver and four bronzes in individual events and three bronzes in team events.
In European Championship, she won one gold and one bronze in individual events and two bronzes in team events. She also participated in 2004 Summer Olympics but lost in quarterfinals.
Sofiya Velikaya
Sofiya Velikaya was born on 8th June 1985 and belongs to Russia. Her weapon is Sabre and she is right-handed. In World Fencing Championships, she won two golds, one silver and one bronze in individual events and five golds, one silver and two bronzes in team events.
In European Championship, she won four golds, and three silvers in individual events and five golds and one silver in team events. In 2012 London Olympic Games, she bagged one silver. She has also won a silver in 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. In both the Olympics, she won the medals in individual events.
Li Na
Li Na was born on 9th March 1981 and belongs to China. Her weapon is epee and she is lefthanded. In World Fencing Championships, she won one gold in individual event and one gold and one bronze in team events.
In Olympic Games, she won one gold and one bronze in team events. She also participated in 2008 Summer Olympics and earned fourth place. She retired in 2013.