The female fencers started competition for Olympic berths during the singles qualification tournament in epee on Saturday. Just like in the men’s event, the top-rated athletes did not compete on the first day, and nearly 200 fencers fought for the right to get into the main draw. First, the competitors were divided into groups in which they had bouts against each other, and then the best ones were selected for the elimination stage.
“I am very happy to compete in Kazan. I expect to perform successfully at this tournament; my goal is to get into the top 64. I am glad that international fencing tournaments are back. Everything is great in Kazan,” said Hungarian epee fencer Edina Kardos.
An athlete from Kyrgyzstan, Kamilia Abdul-Khamitova, emphasized that she was happy to return to international fencing competitions, but also noted that because of the importance of the tournament, many participants were very nervous.
“I hope that I will be able to fence well and reach the playoffs. I was preparing for this tournament at a 20-day training camp, and before that my team and I had worked as usual. Many athletes are nervous, because there have been no such competitions throughout a whole year, and here, in Kazan, we have no less than the Olympic qualification tournament,” Kamilia explained.
The women’s main draw kicks off on Monday.
Press office of the Directorate for Sports and Social Projects