Patiala fencers help India clinch medal at Asian fencing

Karam Prakash 

Chandigarh, February 22

Indian fencers clinched two bronze medals on Monday in the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championship being held at Dammam (Saudi Arabia). India won the medals in the cadet boys’ sabre team and epee team. 

In the sabre team event, India prevailed over Japan 45-42 in the quarterfinal. Sehajpreet and Abhishek Poswal, the Patiala fencers, played well and helped the team into the semifinals. In the semis, India lost to Hong Kong 37-45 and settled for the third spot. “This is our best performance in the cadet category. Today, two of our boys entered the round of 16, they will perform well in the next stages,” said coach Ashok Kumar.

In the quarterfinals, India defeated Hong Kong 45-42 in the epee event. In the semifinals, Shiva Magesh, Sherjin and O. Victor Singh  fought hard but the lack of experience saw them going down to Kazakhstan 44-45, and had to settle for a bronze. 

In the junior (U-20) category, Karan Singh from Army Sports Institute, Pune won the bronze medal in the sabre individual event. In the quarterfinals, Singh defeated Fong ZJ 15-5 before losing his semifinal 10-15. “It is the first time that India have won a medal in the junior category,” said coach Mohit Ashwani. 

However, Lenin lost in the round of 16 and Victor in the round of 32.