JUNIOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2022 - JUNIOR WOMEN’S EPEE REPORT
Anastasiia Rustamova took the Women’s Epee Junior European title on the second day of the Championships in Novi Sad.
Lining up in a field of 92, Rustamova dropped one of her five first round fights and ranked 18th for the knockout stages. She went on to beat Proosvali (EST) 15-9, Pasche (SUI) 15-14, Zens (LUX) 15-6 and Siletti (ITA) 15-9 to make the semi-final where she faced Katharina Kozielski (GER). Rustamova edged a very tight match 15-14 to make the final.
After a shaky start Eszter Muhari (HUN) fought her way into the other semi-final where she faced compatriot Greta Gachlyi (HUN). A relatively comfortable 15-8 victory meant that she was fresh for the final.
The gold medal match saw Rustamova allow Muhari to press at the beginning, working off the blade and using surprise attacks to go 4-3 up at the first break. Muhari elected to play with the distance in the second period and went ahead three times but the pair went into the second break tied at 9-9. Muhari continued the patient press but was unable to string together consecutive hits. Rustamova’s ability to disguise her attack saw her edge 13-12 up with less that 30 seconds on the clock. The Hungarian had no choice but to press more allowing Rustamova to double her way 15-13 to the European title.
