2024 European Senior Fencing Championships ended in Basel. FIE

The European Senior Fencing Championships have come to an end, with 12 individual and team events for men and women in the disciplines of epee, foil and sabre. The event took place in the St. Jakobshalle, with fencers from 38 countries taking part.

Italy topped the medals table with 11 (five gold, three silver, three bronze), followed by France with eight (four gold, one silver, three bronze) and Hungary with seven (one gold, four silver, two bronze). 12 nations have won at least one medal.

Day 1

In the women's individual épée, Estonia's Irina Embrich faced France's Auriane Mallo-Breton in the final and won 15-12. In the semi-finals, Mallo-Breton beat Switzerland's Angeline Favre 15-14, while Embrich defeated Italy's Alberta Santuccio 15-12. Notably, Mallo-Breton defeated France's World champion Marie-Florence Candassamy 15-7 in the quarter-finals and France's Coraline Vitalis beat Italy's two-time world champion Rossella Fiamingo 15-3 in the round of 16. 

In the men's individual foil, Italy's World Champion Tommaso Marini met his team-mate and World Champion Alessio Foconi in the final and won 15-4. In the semi-finals, Foconi beat Maxime Pauty of France 15-7, while Marini defeated Alexander Choupenitch of the Czech Republic 15-11.

-Women's Individual Épée (85 fencers):

1. Irina Embrich (Estonia, gold).

2. Auriane Mallo-Breton (France, silver).

3. Alberta Santuccio (Italy, bronze).

3. Angeline Favre (Switzerland, bronze).

The four medallists of the Individual Épée competition in Basel. FIE
The four medallists of the Individual Épée competition in Basel. FIE


-Men's Individual Foil (71 fencers):

1. Tommaso Marini (Italy, gold).

2. Alessio Foconi (Italy, silver).

3. Maxime Pauty (France, bronze).

3. Alexander Choupenitch (Czech Republic, bronze).

Day 2

Italy's two-time World Champion Arianna Errigo won the women's individual foil final against Ukraine's Dariia Myroniuk 15-10. In the semi-finals, Myroniuk defeated Poland's Julia Walczyk-Klimaszyk 15-11, while Errigo beat Great Britain's Carolina Stutchbury 15-14. Ukraine's Alina Poloziuk defeated Italy's two-time world champion Alice Volpi  15-14 in the round of sixteen. 

In the men's individual sabre, Italy's Michele Gallo defeated his team-mate Luca Curatoli 15-10 in the final. In the semi-finals, Curatoli beat his team-mate Luigi Samele 15-3, while Gallo defeated France's Jean-Philippe Patrice 15-6. In the round of 32, Turkey's Enver Yildirim defeated Hungary's world and three-time Olympic champion Aron Szilagyi 15-11.

-Women's Individual Foil (58 fencers):

1. Arianna Errigo (Italy, gold).

2. Dariia Myroniuk (Ukraine, silver).

3. Julia Walczyk-Klimaszyk (Poland, bronze).

3. Carolina Stutchbury (Great Britain, bronze)

-Men's Individual Sabre (62 fencers):

1. Michele Gallo (Italy, gold)

2. Luca Curatoli (Italy, silver)

3. Luigi Samele (Italy, bronze).

3. Jean-Philippe Patrice (France, bronze).

Day 3

In the women's individual sabre, Spain's Celia Pérez Cuenca fought  Hungary's Liza Pusztai in the final and won 15-13. In the semifinal round, Pusztai won against Spain's Araceli Navarro 15-11, and Pérez Cuenca defeated Poland's Zuzanna Cieslar 15-14. In the round of 16, France's Sarah Noutcha defeated Ukraine's four-time World Champion Olga Kharlan 15-11. 

Spain's Celia Pérez Cuenca was delighted with her European gold medal. FIE
Spain's Celia Pérez Cuenca was delighted with her European gold medal. FIE

In the men's Épée singles, France's Luidgi Midelton faced Hungary's world champion Gergely Siklosi in the final and won 15-13. In the semi-finals, Siklosi defeated his team-mate Tibor Andrasfi 15-8, while Midelton beat Switzerland's Ian Hauri 15-7.  Of note, Andrasfi defeated team-mate and World Champion Mate Tamas Koch 10-9 in the quarter-finals and Hauri defeated French World and Olympic Champion Romain Cannone 15-9 in the round of 32.

-Women's Individual Sabre (51 fencers):

1. Celia Pérez Cuenca (Spain, gold).

2. Liza Pusztai (Hungary, silver).

3. Araceli Navarro (Spain, bronze).

3. Zuzanna Cieslar (Poland, bronze).

-Men's Individual Epee (99 fencers):

1. Luidgi Midelton (France, gold).

2. Gergely Siklosi (Hungary, silver).

3. Ian Hauri (Switzerland, bronze).

3. Tibor Andrasfi (Hungary, bronze).


Day 4

In the women's Team Épée, Italy played Hungary in the final and won 38-31. In the semi-finals, Hungary beat Poland 45-37 and Italy beat France 32-31. The bronze went to France against Poland, 33-32. In the men's team foil, France beat Hungary 45-30 in the final. In the semi-finals, the Magyars defeated Italy 44-43 and France beat Poland 45-29. Bronze went to Italy (45-25 over Poland).

-Women's Team Épée (14 teams):

1. Italy (gold).

2. Hungary (silver).

3. France (bronze).

France was the best in the women's Team Sabre competition. FIE
France was the best in the women's Team Sabre competition. FIE

-Men's Team Foil (12 teams):

1. France (gold).

2. Hungary (silver).

3. Italy (bronze).

Day 5

In the women's Team Sabre, France faced Ukraine in the final and won 45-44. In the semi-finals, Ukraine beat Hungary 45-41, while France beat Spain 45-42. The bronze medal went to Spain, who beat Hungary 45-38. In the men's Team Épée, France won Italy 45-24 in the final. In the semi-finals, Italy beat Spain 43-30 and France was better than the Czech Republic (45-33). The bronze went to Spain, who defeated the Czech Republic 43-32.

-Women's Team Sabre (11 teams):

1. France (gold).

2. Ukraine (silver).

3. Spain (bronze).

-Men's Team Epee (18 teams):

1. France (gold).

2. Italy (silver).

3. Spain (bronze).

Hungary won gold in the men's Team Sabre competition. FIE
Hungary won gold in the men's Team Sabre competition. FIE

Day 6

In the women's Team Foil, Italy played Poland in the final and won 45-27. In the semi-finals, Poland beat France 41-40, while Italy beat Hungary 45-17. The bronze medal went to Hungary, who beat France 45-43. In the men's Team Sabre, Hungary faced Romania in the final and won 45-40. In the semi-finals, Romania beat Turkey 45-44, while Hungary beat Germany 45-32. The bronze medal went to Turkey against Germany 45-42.

-Women's Team Foil (12 teams):

1. Italy (gold).

2. Poland (silver).

3. Hungary (bronze).

-Men's Team Sabre (12 teams):

1. Hungary (gold).

2. Romania (silver).

3. Turkey (bronze).