(Montreal) Undefeated in his qualifying group, saber fencer and future Olympian Farès Arfa finally took 23e rank Seoul Grand Prix, Monday, in South Korea.
Egyptian Ziad Elsissy won gold, defeating Georgian Sandro Bazadze in the grand final. Americans Filip Dolegiewicz and Colin Heathcock finished third.
Things started well for Arfa on Saturday in the group round. He signed six victories in as many duels, which allowed him to reach the table of 64 directly, played two days later.
The Quebecois and 43e world swordsman defeated Kazakh Bakdaulet Kuralbekuly 15-6 in his first elimination duel, before losing to Frenchman Bolade Apithy, ranked ninth in the world, by a score of 15-8. Apithy will end his day in seventh place.
Still in Seoul, Paméla Brind’Amour fought on the women’s side and ranked 95e. The sabreuse accumulated a record of two victories and four defeats in the group round, including two losses suffered at a score of 5-4.
Brind’Amour, who is officially qualified for the Paris Olympics, then defeated American Lola Possick 15-9, then lost 15-10 to Japan’s Kanae Kobayashi.
The Spaniard Araceli Navarro had the upper hand over the French Sarah Noutcha to win gold. Lucia Martin-Portuguez, also from Spain, and Sara Balzer, from France, were bronze medalists.
Finally, Malinka Hoppe Montanaro took part in the Cali Grand Prix, Colombia. The swordsman concluded this test at 85e rank. She won three of these five group matches and lost to Swede Emma Fransson, at 128.