CAIRO. The Women’s Foil Dream Team breaks the curse. The bewitched gold that was missing from the 2018 Wuxi World Championships and that the Italian fencers had seen fade in the Budapest 2019 World Championships and at the Tokyo Olympics last summer arrived in Egypt in the weapon that historically gave us the most joys (75 ). In particular, this is the thirty-third world title of the foil players (the seventeenth in women’s team competitions) out of 117 overall.
Alice Volpi, Arianna Errigo, Martina Favaretto and Francesca Palumbo played the Mameli Hymn at the Indoor Sports Halls Complex in Cairo, beating first Austria in the quarter-finals (45-19), then Poland (45-26) ) and finally the United States for 45-27. In the final assault, coach Stefano Cerioni chose to field the rookie Favaretto in place of Favaretto, alongside the two multi-titled Errigo and Volpi. It was a one-way final, which confirmed the four Italians on the top step one month after the European triumph in Antalya. Arianna Errigo will have to make room in the home bulletin board who, after the individual silver on Tuesday, celebrates her seventh team gold from 2009 to today: between the two formats there are even 20 overall medals.
The women’s foil Dream Team undoes the curse in Egypt, Errigo: “Winning as a favorite is never taken for granted”
«Winning is always nice. Today we were very good, because winning is never taken for granted when you arrive as a favorite – comments Errigo before getting on the podium -. We were all very good and we are happy as you can see, since we started celebrating as soon as we got off the platform ». Palumbo echoes her: “We also prepared for the celebrations from home, in the end we remained united and I thank my teammates for what we have achieved together”.
Without fear the rookie Favaretto: «It always takes a bit of determination to face the opponents and with my teammates who charge me it’s easier». A revenge for Volpi after the disappointment of the individual: “We have been looking for perfection as a team since the beginning of the season and today we have found it abundantly.”
The seventh blue medal in Egypt was skewered by the swordsmen of Dario Chiadò. Andrea Santarelli, Davide Di Veroli, Federico Vismara and Gabriele Cimini gained confidence round after round, first overcoming Ukraine in the quarterfinals (45-39) and then securing the podium with the 41-31 trimmed to Japan, Olympic champion, in the semifinal. Nothing to do, however, in the final against France of Romain Cannone (former individual gold), which won 45-42.
Tomorrow (from 3.30 pm live on Eurosport 2 and Raisport) it will be up to the foil players and sabers to finish the world championship with a flourish, after which the baton will pass to Milan, which will host the next year’s edition. Thus Marco Fichera, president of the Organizing Committee: «For fencing, for Milan and for Italy. The “final minute of an assault” will begin which has seen us rejoice and be appreciated nationally and internationally. We have been planning, for months now, an event that best represents the value of our country. One year after Paris 2024 and three years after Milan Cortina 2026, we will once again demonstrate the best that Italy can offer. The World Cup is a dream, that of many children who play sports, of champions who honor our flag, of associations and sports clubs that serve our country every day. For all of them, together with all the institutions, we will give life to a great World Championship. Tomorrow we will tell the world: see you in Milan! We are ready, we always have been ».