BUDAPEST, Hungary, March 16, 2025 – Ukraine’s Anna Maksymenko and Japan’s Masaru Yamada won gold medals at the Budapest, Hungary “Westend” Epee Grand Prix. The event took place at the BOK Hall, with 310 women and 392 men participating in the competition.
Maksymenko faced Italy’s Giulia Rizzi in the final bout of the women’s individual epee event, held in memory of József Sákovics, winning with a 12-11 score. In the semifinal round, Rizzi won against Korea’s world champion Sera Song, 7-6, while Maksymenko defeated Canada’s Leonora MacKinnon, 15-9.
Yamada faced Switzerland’s Ian Hauri in the final bout of the men’s individual epee event, held in memory of Győző Kulcsár, winning with a 15-10 score. In the semifinal round, Hauri won against Egypt’s Mohamed Elsayed, 15-11, while Yamada defeated Korea’s Segeon Ma, 15-10. Of note, in the quarterfinals Hauri beat Hungary’s world champion Gergely Siklosi, 15-10 and Korea’s Segeon Ma won against Venezuela’s Olympic champion Ruben Limardo Gascon, 11-8; in the table of 16, USA’s Samuel Imrek defeated Hungary’s world champion Mate Tamas Koch, 15-10; and in the table of 32, Israel’s Yonatan Cohen beat Japan’s Olympic champion Koki Kano, 13-12.
Final rankings in women’s individual epee included Anna Maksymenko (UKR, gold), Giulia Rizzi (ITA, silver), Leonora MacKinnon (CAN, bronze), Sera Song (KOR, bronze), Kaylin Sin Yan Hsieh (HKG), Hadley Husisian (USA) Federica Isola (ITA) and Nicol Foietta (ITA).
Final rankings in men’s individual epee included Masaru Yamada (JPN, gold), Ian Hauri (SUI, silver), Mohamed Elsayed (EGY, bronze), Segeon Ma (KOR, bronze), Gergely Siklosi (HUN), Samuel Imrek (USA), Ruben Limardo Gascon (VEN) and Mohamed Yasseen (EGY).
Complete and official results for this event may be found here on the FIE web site. For more exciting world fencing news and features, check out the YouTube FIE Fencing Channel. Find official photos from this and other events on the FIE Facebook page.