The last five editions of the men's individual sabre were won by different fencers: Nicolas Limbach (GER, 2009), Won Woo-Young (KOR, 2010), Aldo Montano (ITA, 2011), Veniamin Reshetnikov (RUS, 2013) and Nikolai Kovalev (RUS, 2014). Reigning world champion Kovalev can become the sixth athlete to retain his individual sabre world title and the first since Russia's Stanislav Pozdniakov in 2006 and 2007.Kovalev also took a silver medal in this event at the 2013 world championships in Budapest.
A win by Kovalev or any other Russian in this event would make Russia only the third country to win the men's individual sabre at three successive world championships, after Italy (three in a row from 1938-1949 and 1971-1974) and Hungary (four in a row from 1951-1955). Russia could win its 10th gold medal in this event. Only Soviet Union (12) and Hungary (11) have more.
Gu Bon-Gil (KOR) and his compatriot Kim Jung-Hwan (KOR) are aiming to become the second Korean world champion in men's individual sabre, after Won Woo-Young who took the title in 2010. Gu finished in second place at the 2014 world championships in Kazan.
Aron Szilagyi (HUN) is the reigning Olympic champion in men's individual sabre but his best result at the world championships in men’s sabre is a bronze medal in 2013.
Since Berlin 1936 Olympic Games, only four Olympic champions in men's sabre have failed to win a gold medal in the same event at the world championships: Endre Kabos (HUN, Olympic champion in 1936), Bence Szabó (HUN, 1992), Zhong Man (CHN, 2008) and Szilagyi. Hungary has won 11 gold medals in men's individual sabre – second only to Soviet Union's 12 – but the last Hungarian to win this event was György Nébald (HUN) in 1990.
Aldo Montano (ITA, 18 Nov 1978) has won a gold, silver and bronze medal in men's individual sabre. With another win he will equal his father Mario Aldo Montano (ITA) and his grandfather Aldo Montano (ITA, 23 Nov 1910) on two world championships gold medals in this event. Italy has won 35 medals in men's individual sabre at the world championships. Only Hungary has won more (42).
Tiberiu Dolniceanu (ROU) is aiming to become the second Romanian to win this event, after Mihai Covaliu (ROU) in 2005. Dolniceanu took the bronze in men's individual sabre in Budapest 2013 and in Kazan 2014.
Daryl Homer (USA) is hoping to hand United States their first world championship medal in men's individual sabre.
All about World Fencing Championships Moscow 2015
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