FENCING: Dershwitz earns Grand Prix silver; Velikaya storms to 40th career in-season medal

Russian Sabre star Sofya Velikaya (Photo: Marie-Lan Nguyen via Wikipedia Commons)

American Eli Dershwitz is no. 1 in the FIE World Sabre Rankings and will stay there after his silver-medal performance in the Sabre Grand Prix is Moscow (RUS).

His performance was a modest breakthrough, as he had finished fifth – losing in the quarterfinals – in each of the last five World Cup and Grand Prix tournaments. But this time he got to the final, only to be stopped by France’s unheralded Bolade Apithy.

Now 33, Apithy won his first career Grand Prix medal with the win in the final. He had previously won two World Cup medals, the last coming in 2017. But he handled Dershwitz, 15-10, in the final.

The women’s Grand Prix finalists also included a surprise: China’s Yaqi Shao. Just 22, this was her first career medal in a World Cup or Grand Prix. She was game, but overmatched by Russia’s Sofya Velikaya, also no. 1 in the FIE World Rankings, 15-8.

For two-time World Champion Velikaya, the victory was her seventh in a Grand Prix and 14th including World Cups. She now has collected a staggering total of 40 Grand Prix and World Cup medal in her career to 2003! Summaries:

FIE Grand Prix
Moscow (RUS) ~ 24-26 May 2019
(Full results here)

Men: 1. Bolade Apithy (FRA); 2. Eli Dershwitz (USA); 3. Luca Curatoli (ITA) and Max Hartung (GER). Semis: Apithy d. Hartung, 15-13; Dershwitz d. Curatoli, 15-12. Final: Apithy d. Dershwitz, 15-10.

Women: 1. Sofya Velikaya (RUS); 2. Yaqi Shao (CHN); 3. Sofia Pozdniakova (RUS) and Lisa Pusztai (HUN). Semis: Velikaya d. Pozdniakova, 15-13; Shao d. Pustzai, 15-9. Final: Velikaya d. Shao, 15-8.