Gilliver strikes double gold in Pisa
The British wheelchair fencer was among the Rio 2016 medallists to record their first wins of the season. 22 Mar 2017![Wheelchair Fencing icon - Rio 2016 Wheelchair Fencing icon - Rio 2016](/sites/default/files/styles/large_original/public/images/161020110337442_fencing.jpg?itok=pm-kpqVb)
Wheelchair fencing at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Rio 2016 Paralympic medallists struck gold at the latest wheelchair fencing World Cup in Pisa, Italy, from 17-19 March.
Great Britain’s Piers Gilliver came away with double victories, winning the men’s epee and sabre category A events. Silver medallist in the epee from Rio 2016, Gilliver defeated host nation’s Matteo Betti for the top of the podium. The 26-year-old then got the best of Ukraine’s No. 1 ranked and defending Paralympic gold medallist Andrii Demchuk, 15-9, in the sabre.
Poland’s Adrian Castro found his first victory of the season in Pisa. The reigning world champion and Paralympic bronze medallist held off Hungary’s Istvan Tarjanyi 15-12 for the gold medal in the men’s sabre category B. It was a refreshing win, as the 26-year-old Castro had taken runner-up at the last World Cup in Eger, Hungary.
Poland got two more medal toppers in Pisa. Teenager Alan Surajewski stunned the field in the men’s epee category B, as the 19-year-old defeated French Paralympic bronze medallist Yannick Ifebe 15-11.
Poland’s No. 2 ranked Mart Fidrych could not medal in Rio but left Pisa with an encouraging win over Hungary’s Paralympic bronze medallist Amarilla Veres, 15-12, in the women’s epee category A.
Two-time Rio 2016 silver medallist Richard Osvath did take a victory home for Hungary. The 32-year-old cruised past Poland’s Darius Pender 15-5 in the men’s foil category A.
Fellow Hungarian Gyongyi Dani defeated France’s Cecile Demaude for the women’s foil category B win. Demaude had to settle for second again in the epee, where she dropped to Ukraine’s Tetiana Pozniak.
Ukraine saw further success when Nataliia Morkvych defeated Hungary’s multi-Paralympic medallist Zsuzsanna Krajnyak 15-11 in the women’s foil category A.
The men’s Hungarian sabre team took a narrow 45-44 win over Italy for the top prize.
The next IWAS World Cup will be from 28 June -3 July in Warsaw, Poland.