SEOUL, Korea, May 2-4 – Korea’s Hayoung Jeon and Hungary’s Krisztian Rabb won gold medals at the Seoul, Korea SK Telecom Women’s and Men’s Sabre Grand Prix. The event took place at the SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium, with 156 women and 196 men participating in the competition.
Jeon faced teammate Jeongmi Kim in the final bout of women’s individual sabre, winning with a 15-13 score. In the semifinal round, Kim won against Bulgaria’s Yoana Ilieva, 15-11, while Jeon defeated France’s Sarah Noutcha, 15-10. Of note, in the round of 16, Kim beat Japan’s two-time world champion Misaki Emura, 15-13.
Rabb faced France’s Jean-Philippe Patrice in the final bout of men’s individual sabre, winning with a 15-14 score. In the semifinal round, Patrice won against Italy’s Luca Curatoli, 15-11, while Rabb defeated Georgia’s Sandro Bazadze, 15-10. Of note, in the quarterfinals Bazadze beat Korea’s world and Olympic champion Sanguk Oh, 15-11; in the round of 32, Curatoli won against Hungary’s world champion Andras Szatmari, 15-10; and in the round of 64, Patrice defeated Hungary’s world and three-time Olympic champion Aron Szilagyi, 15-10.
Final rankings in women’s individual sabre included Hayoung Jeon (KOR, gold), Jeongmi Kim (KOR, silver), Yoana Ilieva (BUL, bronze), Sarah Noutcha (FRA, bronze), Despina Georgiadou (GRE), Michela Battiston (ITA), Seri Ozaki (JPN) and Renata Katona (HUN).
Final rankings in men’s individual sabre included Krisztian Rabb (HUN, gold), Jean-Philippe Patrice (FRA, silver), Sandro Bazadze (GEO, bronze), Luca Curatoli (ITA, bronze), Sanguk Oh (KOR), Ali Pakdaman (IRI), Antonio Heathcock (USA) and Heegeun Hwang (KOR).
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