Top ranked epeeist Gauthier Grumier (FRA) will be looking to win a gold medal and complete his medal set in this event at the world championships. He claimed the silver medal in 2010 and took the bronze in 2014. Following Robeiri's gold medal in 2014 a win by Gauthier or any other French fencer would see France win the men's individual épée at consecutive world championships. France is already the last country to win this event in back-to-back editions, as Eric Srecki (FRA, 1995 and 1997) and Hugues Obry (FRA, 1998) claimed the men's individual épée title three times in a row. France has won the men's individual épée a record 13 times at the world championships. Hungary, Italy and Soviet Union all follow with six.
Nikolai Novosjolov (EST) won the men's individual épée in 2010 and 2013. Another world championship gold medal in this event would put him on a par with Aleksey Nikanchikov (Soviet Union) who won three gold medals in men's individual épée in 1966, 1967 and 1970. Pavel Kolobkov (RUS) holds the record of four gold medals (1993, 1994, 2002 and 2005) in this event. Novosjolov has not claimed a medal of any other colour than gold in men's individual épée.
Enrico Garozzo (ITA) and his fellow Italian fencers will be looking to become the sixth Italian gold medallist in this event and the first since Paolo Pizzo (ITA) in 2011. Only France (11) and Hungary (6) have had more different athletes win the men's individual épéé title. Garozzo claimed the bronze medal in men's individual épée in Kazan in 2014.
Max Heinzer (SUI), Fabian Kautier (SUI), Benjamin Steffen (SUI) and Peer Borsky (SUI) will be hoping to become the first gold medallist from Switzerland in men's individual épée. Switzerland have claimed three silver and three bronze medals in this event. No other country has taken more than three (Korea) medals in men's individual épée without winning the gold medal Individual and team épée are the only events Switzerland has won medals in at the world championships (both men's and women's events).
Park Kyoung-Doo (KOR) will lead the charge for Korea. Park can complete his medal set in this event as he claimed the silver medal in 2014 and took the bronze medal in 2011.
Anton Avdeev (RUS) and his fellow Russian fencers are hoping to become the first men's individual épée world champion on home soil since Paolo Pizzo (ITA) won the gold medal in Catania in 2011. Avdeev is the 2009 world champion in this event. A win by any of the Russian athletes would put Russia on a par with Italy, Hungary and Soviet Union on six gold medals in men's individual épée. Only France (13) has more.
All about World Fencing Championships Moscow 2015
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