The individual competition of the National Fencing Championships held in Shenzhen concluded on October 20th, crowning six new champions. Huang Mengkai from the Fujian team and Wu Caiyao from the Guangdong team emerged victorious in the men’s foil and women’s epee categories, respectively. Notably, all six champions were participating in the national championship for the first time.
Cai Jinhui, an upcoming player from the Shanghai team, displayed remarkable skill by defeating national team players Wu Bin and Xu Jie. In the men’s individual finals, Cai went head-to-head with Huang Mengkai. Despite trailing 1:4 in the group stage, Cai made a stunning comeback to defeat Huang 5:4. In the final showdown, Huang learned from his previous encounter and adopted a more cautious approach. Leading from the start, he secured a comfortable 15:9 victory.
However, Huang Mengkai’s physical condition was affected by illness before the game. He acknowledged that his experience and perseverance were instrumental in his triumph. Huang had already clinched the individual and team championships in the National Fencing Championship finals held in September. He also, alongside his teammates, secured the men’s foil team championships in all three events this year. With the team competition of the National Championships scheduled for the 22nd, Huang is determined to achieve a Grand Slam this year, stating his ambition to bring home the gold medal.
In the women’s heavyweight category, the finals showcased a bout between two young players born after 2000, namely Shi Yuexin from the Jiangsu team and Wu Caiyao from the Guangdong team. Initially, Shi had the upper hand, leading with a score of 5:1. However, Wu changed the rhythm and equalized with a score of 6:6, utilizing a more aggressive forward attack. Throughout the game, the point difference remained minimal until Wu sealed the victory with three consecutive points, ultimately winning 15:12. Reflecting on her achievement, Wu expressed her satisfaction at attaining her first national championship, acknowledging Shi Yuexin’s status as a national team member.
Looking ahead, the women’s saber, men’s epee, and women’s foil team competitions are set to take place on October 21st as part of the National Fencing Championships.