2012 Olympic Champion Kim Jiyeon (KOR) qualified easily for the semi-finals to meet Vassiliki Vougioukia (GRE) who had also performed on a very high level throughout the day. Vougiouka started concentrated but Kim was too strong and won 15:10 to advance to the gold medal match. In the other semi-final, Lee Rajin (KOR) defeated current world number four Ekaterina Dyachenko (RUS) in a close match 15:13.
The final between Lee and Kim was close at the beginning, tied at 10:10. Kim then made several great actions and went ahead. She finally won 15:10, taking the title at these World Combat Games.
In the bronze medal match, Dyachenko went twice ahead by several points but Vougiouka did not relent. However, Dyachenko stayed concentrated and got the bronze medal by winning 15:10.
In men’s epee, four very experienced fencers made it to the semi-finals: Nikolai Novosjolov (EST), Gabor Boczko (HUN), Ulrich Robeiri (FRA) and Fabian Kauter (SUI). Reigning World Champion Novosjolov showed once more that he is in great shape this season and advanced easily to the final, beating Kauter 15:10 in the semi-final. Boczko had some more difficulties with Robeiri but managed to make the final hit at 15:13 to meet Novosjolov in the final. In the final, Novosjolov continued to fence on an extraordinary high level. Boczko never found an answer to his varied actions and so Novosjolov succeeded rather unchallenged 15:6 to take another gold medal only a few weeks after his success in Budapest at the World Championships.
In the fight for bronze, Robeiri went quickly ahead but Kauter did not relent. The match became tight, with Robeiri hitting the last touch to close the match at 15:13 and take the bronze medal.
Novosjolov said after the gold medal match: “It was a very good competition and the contenders were very strong. I am already fully back to training and took the opportunity here to test my shape and also some new actions. I try to keep the high level in the next season. The World Combat Games were a good experience, the venue, the decoration, everything looked very nice.”
