The Hungarian women’s epee team has reached the final so that they can defend their title at the World Fencing Championship for the Olympic Qualification in Milan.
After defeating the Greeks in the quarter-finals, the national team composed of Liza Pusztai, Sugár Battai, Luca Szűcs, and Anna Márton played against the South Koreans, from whom they lost by a single stroke in the March World Cup held in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium.
This time the unfortunate outcome was not repeated, Pusztai went up to the pášta at 40-34 and ended the match 45-39. Before that, Debrecen’s Battai had problems, four of the ten-hit lead after the seventh pair was lost in the eighth, but Pusztai, who is a great fencer, did not lose confidence. The Hungarians were in the lead from the start, and the difference grew significantly in the sixth and seventh laps.
Pusztai ended her three duels with a plus five, Szűcs plus one, and Battai – who was successful in his first two aces – gave as many hits as she received. The spontaneous joy and celebration were justified because it is a remarkable feat that the Hungarian team reached the final again after the triumph in Cairo.
There, from 5 p.m., they have to face the French again, just like a year ago, when the Hungarians won 45-40.
Results (29 teams):
on Saturday:
between 16:
Hungary-Poland 45-39
Sunday:
quarter-finals:
France-Japan 45-37
Ukraine-United States 45-44
Hungary-Greece 45-35
Republic of Korea-Azerbaijan 45-43
semi-final:
France-Ukraine 45-32
Hungary-Republic of Korea 45-39
(Debreceni Nap)
Photo: Members of the Hungarian team after winning against the South Koreans in the semifinals of the women’s epee team competition of the World Fencing Championships in Milan on July 30, 2023. MTI/Tibor Illyés
