DAVID SOSNOV RISES TO THE CHALLENGE
Written by Abby Deveney
Persistence paid off for ZFW’s David Sosnov, who claimed a gold medal in the under-15 age group at June’s Challenge Wratislavia International Children’s Competition in Poland.
It wasn’t Sosnov’s first podium performance at the highly competitive event; he won a silver medal and a bronze fighting in two prior age groups in previous years.
Competing for the last time at the competition in Wroclaw, however, this year’s victory was surely the sweetest. “It feels amazing to have won it on my last year and I’m grateful to everyone who helped prepare me to compete. It’s a great tournament with an amazing atmosphere and I’m sad to not be able to go again,” Sosnov said.
Sosnov had an amazing run up through the tableau after being ranked top among 56 competitors after the poules, in which he won all his fights. He had a bye into the 32 round, where he defeated Paul Tippmer of Germany 15-1. Sosnov then faced Polish competitor Maksym Kowalski in the last 16, winning that bout 15-3. He went on to defeat Tomasz Bartoszek 15-7, and Tymon Kowalski, also of Poland, 15-0.
In the final gold-medal match, Sosnov defeated Mattia Rubin of Hungary by a score of 15-4, showing he was clearly up for the Challenge.
“David’s performance in Poland was truly outstanding and it showed that his development is well on the track,” said ZFW founder and head coach Ziemek Wojciechowski. “His hard work during lockdown paid off!” The Maestro added: “I am so glad he experienced international competition as there were no events in UK.”
The competition was held the third week in June under Covid-19 protocols and was one of the first for up-and-coming fencers after international bouting was stalled for many months by the Covid-19 pandemic. Fifty-six fencers checked in for the under-15 boys’ foil on the day and seven entries scratched. Sosnov was the only British competitor among fencers from a handful of other nations.
ZFW’s Amelie Tsang also competed in Wroclaw, finishing seventh in the Under-15 foil. Tsang said returning to competition after many so months away from the piste presented a major challenge, as did the timing of the event, which took place just after important school examinations. “It was all a sudden shock to get back into competing,” she said.
Tsang, who was ranked fourth after the poules, had a bye into the 32 round, where she defeated Serbia’s Nada Radlovacki 15-3. She then overcame Malgorzata Plaza of Poland 15-12. Tsang’s competition ended in the last-eight round when she went out to Lucrezia Monti of Italy by a score of 15-13. Monti then went on to win the top prize.
The full results from the Challenge Wratislavia can be found here: https://www.fencingtimelive.com/tournaments/eventSchedule/4F7C68834264429ABB9CF8E13F9576A4#today
British Fencing has announced its schedule for Cadet and Junior competition. Further details are available here:
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