Emotion, determination and Olympic dreams on Day 2 of ECH U23 in Tallinn
The second day of the 2025 European Fencing Championships U23 in Tallinn brought another chapter of passion, resilience, and personal milestones, as individual events in Men’s Sabre, Men’s Foil, and Women’s Épée crowned their new champions.
Rémi Garrigue brings sabre gold to France
In the U23 Men’s Sabre event, Rémi Garrigue delivered a strong and composed performance to secure the European title for France. In the final, he overcame Benedykt Denkiewicz of Poland, while the bronze medals went to Szymon Hryciuk of Poland and Cosimo Bertini of Italy.
Rémi, a man of few words in English, let his fencing speak for itself—but made sure to share his pride: “I’m very happy. I managed the competition well—it’s a great experience.”
When asked what gave him the edge, he pointed to his mindset: “My strength was my mentality. The secret is preparation. You must stay focused on your own path.”
Rémi also expressed deep gratitude to his team: “I prepared really well with my coaches. Especially with Jean-Philippe Dorel, who is in Hong Kong right now. Even if he’s not here, I feel his support. I love him.”
Giulio Lombardi masters foil with relaxed mindset
In the Men’s Foil, Giulio Lombardi of Italy fenced with elegance, precision, and composure throughout the day, ultimately capturing the title with a final victory over Anas Anane of France. The podium was completed by Damiano Di Veroli of Italy and Gergely Tóth of Hungary, both taking bronze.
Reflecting on the day, Giulio said: “From the beginning I felt a good sensation. Everything just flowed naturally.” But one match stood out for him: “The toughest bout was against my friend Damiano—we both fenced well and know each other so well.”
Lombardi credited his calm mindset as the fuel for his performance: “I woke up very chill. I told myself, if I fence well, great. If not, it’s okay. That helped me stay relaxed and focused.”
Having medaled last year as well, this final U23 season felt like a fitting conclusion: “It’s my last year in this category, so finishing with a gold means a lot to me. I’m happy and proud.”
Anna Maksymenko turns early struggle into épée triumph
In the Women’s Épée, Anna Maksymenko of Ukraine showed not only talent, but true resilience. After a challenging start in the pool rounds, she rallied through the direct elimination with determination and eventually took the title by defeating Gaia Caforio of Italy in the final. The bronze medals went to Zofia Janelli of Poland and Greta Gachalyi of Hungary.
“Honestly, I didn’t start well—I was tired and didn’t fence the way I wanted,” Anna admitted. “During the pools, I even argued with my coach. I was frustrated. But I wanted to prove to him I could come back and win.” And she did just that.
She pointed to her support system as a source of strength: “Maybe it’s my family, my coaches, and the people around me. They give me power and belief.”
Known for her calm presence on the piste, Anna said it reflects her personality: “I’m more of a calm person than energetic, but it depends who I’m with.” Her ambition, however, is crystal clear: “My biggest dream is to become Olympic champion.”
Coming up next: the team battles begin
With six individual champions now crowned in Tallinn, the European U23 Championships shift into team mode. On Saturday, April 26, the excitement continues with three events:
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U23 Team Women’s Sabre
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U23 Team Men’s Épée
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U23 Team Women’s Foil
The fencing community is invited to join us for a day of unity, strategy, and national pride. Whether you're in the venue or following from home, don’t miss the chance to support your team and celebrate the future of European fencing.
Watch live: https://www.youtube.com/@FencingEFC
Full results and schedule: https://www.fencingtimelive.com/tournaments/eventSchedule/AB97334DEA4A45D58CD445B7F8B1F2B3#today
Let the team battles begin!
