Sofia Pozdniakova wins women’s sabre gold in all-Russian final at 2018 Fencing World Championships

In an all-Russian Final, Pozdniakova defeated two-time world champion and Olympic silver medallist and teammate Sofya Velikaya to take the top prize after a strong of impressive performances by both fencers through the tournament.

Pozdniakova, ranked eight in the world, beat Singapore’s Ywen Lau 15-3 and then USA’s Dagmara Wozniak 15-10 in the last 64 and last 32 round stages respectively. Italy’s Irene Vecchi was then next to fall victim to the Russian in the last 16 by a 15-12 scoreline, which was the same outcome when Pozdniakova accounted for China’s Yaqi Shao in the quarter-finals.

In the semi-final round, Pozdniakova easily defeated USA’s Anne-Elizabeth Stone, 15-6, to set-up the final showdown with her Russian teammate Velikaya, ranked second in the world. In what was the anticipated keenly-fought contest, it was Pozdniakova who just had the edge, taking the title thanks to a 15-13 scoreline.

The silver medal for Velikaya was her fifth medal in a world championship, and came after an equally impressive run to the Final which was highlighted by beating teammate and Olympic gold medallist Yana Egorian in the semi-finals by a single touch, 15-14.

As usual there were a number of surprises during the competition. None more so than world number one ranked Olga Kharlan of Ukraine bowing out at the last 32 stage, beaten 15-13 by Yaqi Shao. There was another shock a round later at the last 16 stage when world number three, Anna Marton of Hungary, was beaten Greece’s Theodora Gkountoura by the same scoreline.

A total of twelve events are being fenced over the nine-day 2018 World Championships tournament which finishes on 27 July, with the team events in the epee, sabre and foil taking place over the next few days.