Composed Battai Sugar Takes Hungary to Deserved Title
Hungary overcame a strong Russian team to claim this year’s Cadet Women’s Team Sabre European title in Porec, Croatia today.
Ranked third, Hungary lined up with Katinka Battai Sugar, Zita Fenyosi, Kira Keszei & Viktoria Papai (reserve). They beat Belarus 45-26, Turkey 45-43 and Romania 45-39 to make the gold medal match.
Eighth seeds Russia had Alina Koroleva, Ekaterina Kuzovaya, Alina Pastukhova (bronze) & Sofia Kozhukhova (reserve) in their line up and beat Bulgaria 45-24, then the number one seeds France 45-41 before edging Ukraine 45-43 to give themselves a chance for going for gold.
Hungary started the final stronger leading 5-2 after the first leg before Kozhukhova and Koroleva took Russia to 15-14 a third of the way through the match. A strong middle three fights, in particularly from Battai Sugar and Keszei saw Hungary open up the score 30-24, leading going into the cruicial final three legs. Kozhukhova went on a ten-hit run in the seventh before Koroleva kept Russia in it. However, Pastukhova still trailed 39-40 going into the final leg against Hungary anchor Battai Sugar. The Russian scored a couple of beautifully timed parry ripostes to draw level at 41-41. Battai Sugar took a moment to compose herself before scoring the final four hits with a distance trap, two attacks and then making her opponent miss using distance to finish the final off with another long attack.
Hungary took gold and the title 45-41. Ukraine joined Hungary and Russia on the podium after defeating Romania 45-25 in the bronze medal play-off.
