Canada’s Senior Women’s Epee and Senior men’s Sabre athletes were in action on day one of the 2019 Fencing World Championships in Budapest. Of the eight participating fencers, five have advanced to the main draw of top 64’s scheduled for Thursday, July 18th.

The event started with the women’s individual epee competition which included over 145 of the world’s best fencers.  Canada’s Leonora Mackinnon (Newbury, UK), and Malinka Hoppe Montanaro (Montreal, QC) had a strong start in poules, both with four wins and two losses to advance to the elimination round.

Hoppe Montanaro defeated Olivija Masalo of Lithuania 15-11 and then won against higher seed Katrina Smith Taylor of the United Kingdom 15-7 to advance to the 64’s. Mackinnon faced Cynthia Roldan of Peru followed by Ekaterina Davidzon of Israel and won both bouts by a score of 15-11 to also make the 64’s. Alexanne Verret (Quebec, QC) and Kay Sze (Vancouver, BC) both lost in the elimination rounds.

Canada’s top Sabre athletes were also in action today with three fencers advancing to the top 64’s.  Shaul Gordon (Montreal, QC) had a strong start to the day, finishing with four wins and one loss in poules.  Joseph Polossifakis (Laval, QC) finished with four wins and two losses, while Fares Arfa had three wins and three losses in poules.

Polossifakis had a bye in the first elimination bout and then soundly defeated his competitor in the second round, defeating Mexican Gibran Zea 15-4 to advance to the top 64’s.  Gordon also had a bye and then defeated Oleksiy Statsenko from the Ukraine 15-13.  Arfa had two bouts in the elimination rounds, defeating Nazarbay Sattarkhan from Kazakhstan 15-9 and then Beka Bazadze from Georgia 15-13.  Marc Gelinas (Blainville, QC) won his first elimination bout a close 15-14, but then lost to third seed Iulian Teodosiu 15-11.

The final rounds of the Women’s Epee and Men’s Sabre competitions continue Thursday, July 18^th featuring Leonora Mackinnon and Malinka Hoppe Montanaro in the women’s epee competition, as well as Shaul Gordon, Joseph Polossifakis and Fares Arfa in the Men’s Sabre competition.

Canada’s top Women’s Foil and Men’s Epee athletes will begin their individual competition Tuesday.  For schedules, live streaming and live results, please visit: https://www.2019budapest.com/

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