After three years of waiting, the French Enzo Lefort, reigning world champion, managed to keep his foil crown this Wednesday at the World Fencing Championships in Cairo. He brings France a third title in these World Championships after the golden double of Romain Cannone and Ysaora Thibus on Tuesday.
Lefort beat the Italian Tommaso Marini in the final, 15 touches to 14, aftera suspenseful ending.
The 30-year-old foil fencer had up to six touches ahead (10-4) before falling into the rhythm of the 22-year-old Italian, who managed to come back to score (10-10). The Frenchman then took the initiative in the duel to lead 14-11, but the Italian, third in the world, managed to push Lefort, punished with a red card, to the final touch. In the end, it was Enzo Lefort who was able to cover himself with the Némès, the emblematic headdress of the pharaohs given to the winner on the top of the podium.
Back from an injury
The Guadeloupean had already been pushed to his limits in the semi-finals by the American Nick Itkin, also beaten on the decisive touch (15-14). He was scared several times during the day since he had even come close to elimination in the second round, led 10-2 by the Dutchman Daniel Giacon before winning 15-14.
Bronze medalist in 2014 and world champion in 2019, Lefort had to wait three years to defend his title due to the cessation of competitions due to the Covid pandemic. Meanwhile, he was knocked out of the quarter-finals of the individual tournament at the Tokyo Olympics last summer, but he was consoled with the team title.
Absent from the European Championships in Antalya in Turkey last month due to a calf injury, the Guadeloupean had preferred to take the time to heal himself to be on the attack at the Worlds. The bet is won.
Four medals for the tricolor clan
Before the start of the team finals on Thursday, the Blues conclude the individual events with four medals, including three titles out of six possible.
On Wednesday, Romain Cannone, surprise Olympic champion in Tokyo last summer, won in epee, confirming his status as world No.1, while Ysaora Thibus had won barely twenty minutes earlier in foil. . On Monday, Maxime Pianfetti went to get the silver in the saber.
The harvest of the Blues can continue on Thursday with the team events in women’s epee and men’s saber.