In a remarkable feat, the Polish women’s fencing team, consisting of Ewa Trzebińska, Renata Knapik-Miazga, Martyna Swatowska-Wenglarczyk and Magdalena Pawłowska, clinched the coveted gold medal at the world championships in Milan. This historic victory marks the first time a Polish women’s fencing team has achieved such success on the international stage, signalling a significant milestone for the sport in the country.
The Polish team displayed exceptional prowess as a cohesive unit throughout the tournament. In the initial rounds, they demonstrated unwavering confidence, securing convincing victories against their opponents from Georgia (45:33) and Egypt (45:18). The quarter-finals witnessed them comfortably defeating the players from Israel (45:34), further cementing their position as formidable contenders.
The semi-final clash against the reigning world champions, the Koreans, was a tightly contested match. However, the Polish squad managed to secure a narrow lead in the final rounds. The decisive actions contributed to a 33:32 victory, propelling the Polish team to the eagerly awaited final.
In the final, the Polish team faced the skilled Italian women, who had excelled individually. The Italians took the initiative from the beginning, but their lead never exceeded four points. At a crucial moment when the Polish team was behind 23:25, Martyna Swatowska-Wenglarczyk, drawing on her experience as a silver medalist in the previous European Games, led her team to a stunning comeback, securing a lead they maintained until the end.
“WE HAVE THE GOLD OF THE WORLD EPEE CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMEN! 🥇🔥🔥🔥,” the Polish Fencing Association wrote on Twitter.
This victory signifies not only the first-ever gold for the Polish women’s fencing team in the history of world championships but also the first fencing gold for Poland since 2007 when the women’s team emerged victorious in St. Petersburg.