As part of the 2015 Universiade Games of Gwangju (South Korea), fencing trials were held from 4 to 9 July.
Despite the imminence of a number of other competitions in this discipline (Asian and European Championship, European Games, World Championships, SEA Games …), 379 athletes and 83 teams took part in this event. In this conjecture, a lot of have banked on their future hopes, and in fact on junior fencers, rather than on their star fencers while constituting their delegation. It nonetheless remains the second highest number in terms of participation, just after the number recorded by Kazan. The risk of contamination by the MERS virus was also not a factor that was favourable to participation
The Gwangju Organising Committee, the Korean Fencing Federation, the FISU and FIE worked together to offer the best conditions for conducting the various trials. For the record, in 2014, the FISU and FIE signed a new partnership agreement, raising the benchmark of organisation specifications (streaming, display boards, video-refereeing …). All these points were entirely adhered to with the presence and interventions of the companies MSL and Kabcom.
In the prize list of nations, France came out more than domineering by winning 8 gold medals out of the 12 possible (women's individual and team epee, women's individual foil, men's individual and team epee, men's individual and team foil, men's team sabre), By the way this constitutes the best results obtained by this nation at the Universiade Games. For its part, South Korea won golden medals at the men's individual sabre and women's team sabre. The 2 other medals were won by Russia (women's individual sabre) and Italy (women's team foil).
The competition's management was placed under the responsibility of the official delegates of the FISU and FIE who worked jointly and in the best spirit. Refereeing was done by FIE referees. A group of 130 volunteers completed this list and enabled holding of the various competitions under excellent conditions.
Mr. SON Kil Seung, President of the Korean Fencing Federation, Mr. OH Min –Su, President of the Gwangju Fencing Federation and Mr. Jacek BIERKOWSKI, Treasurer of the FIE honoured the event with their presence, the finals of the different weapons and expressed their satisfaction with the results obtained and the high quality of the event's organisation. This was greatly appreciated by all those who had contributed to the organisation of these Universiade Games.
Our rendezvous will therefore be in 2017, at Taipei, for the next Universiade Games.
AO Jie
deputy Sport Director
FIE Lausanne