It’s been a long journey with many detours, but Gabriella Page was finally able to walk the trail for the first time this year. She collected the best result of her career in passing with an 18and place at the Plovdiv World Cup on Saturday.
Posted at 1:51 p.m.
The last few weeks have not been easy for the saber. After missing two competitions due to weather conditions and a positive test for COVID-19, the Quebecer struggled to travel to Bulgaria to start her season there.
As one of the 16 favorites of the tournament, the 27-year-old fencer did not have to play the pool round to advance to the next round. She therefore began her journey in the main draw of the 64, where she had an appointment with her training partner of the last week, the Turkish Deniz Selin Unludag.
Page made short work of his opponent in this one-sided clash that ended 15-3. “I was a little stressed, but I knew what to do to be successful against her. I had trained with her in the previous days and had a good game plan. I followed it to the letter and it went really well,” she commented.
In the next round, Gabriella Page faced another very familiar opponent, Malina Vongsavady, against whom she had already been opposed a few times in the World Cup. If the Canadian had already had her share of success against the French, she remained unanswered this time and lost 15-7.
“I felt good going into the match and I was very excited to shoot against her. In the end, it was very difficult and I was in solution mode the whole fight. No matter what I did, she managed to outsmart me. She was very strong today (Saturday),” Page said of the eventual bronze medalist of the day.
Finally on the track
If she admits that defeat always has such a bitter taste, Gabriella Page said she was satisfied with her first outing of the season. Especially with all the adventures experienced during the month of January.
Canceled flights during a snowstorm initially prevented her from playing in a preparatory tournament in the United States. Then, a few days later, the Tokyo Games Olympian contracted COVID-19 and found herself forced to stay home and then skip the World Cup in Tbilisi, Georgia. .
But she was not yet at the end of her troubles.
Fully recovered after ten days of rest, Page again missed a flight to Europe due to weather conditions, after which new health restrictions complicated his entry into Bulgaria.
“Honestly, we were lucky! launched the fencer to sum up the situation which finally took a positive turn.
“It was quite complicated to come to Bulgaria, especially after having COVID-19. I needed a new negative test and a lot of new documents. I don’t know exactly how it all went, but we managed to get back and I consider myself really lucky to be able to do this tournament, ”she concluded with a laugh.
Gabriella Page will be back in action on Sunday in the team event where she will join forces with Madison Thurgood and Marissa Ponich. The representatives of the maple leaf will face the Colombians from the outset.