The Ukrainian women started as the third seeds and began the competition with a quarter-final match against Italy. The Ukrainian team won gold in the women’s team sabre fencing competition.
In the final, the ‘blue and yellows’ achieved a hard-fought victory over the team from the Republic of Korea.
In the final fencing discipline for Ukraine, the team consisted of the new bronze medalist in the individual tournament Olha Kharlan, Alina Komashchuk, Olena Kravatska, and Yuliia Bakastova.
The Ukrainian women started as the third seeds and began the competition with a quarter-final match against Italy.
How did the Ukrainian sabre fencers perform in the team event at the 2024 Olympics?
- In the opening round, they defeated Italy, winning five out of nine bouts with a score of 45-39. Notably, Kharlan won all three of her matches against her opponents.
- They performed even more convincingly in the semi-finals, winning 45-32 against Japan. The Japanese team won only one out of nine bouts, with Kharlan and Komashchuk winning all their matches. Yuliia Bakastova made her debut at the 2024 Olympics, replacing Kravatska in the match.
- Having secured at least silver, the Ukrainians faced their closest rivals in the world rankings, the team from the Republic of Korea, in the final.
How did the decisive match at the Olympics go?
- The confrontation began with Kharlan’s victory over Jeon Eun-hye, 5-3. After a third of the match, the Ukrainians were trailing 13-15, as Bakastova lost her first bout and Komashchuk drew hers.
- Bakastova was also behind in her second bout before Kharlan reduced the overall deficit to two points, making it 23-25. The difference remained after Komashchuk’s second bout, 28-30.
- Bakastova restored parity for the Ukrainians at 31-31. Choi Se-bin regained a two-point lead for Korea, making it 33-35 before the last two bouts with Komashchuk stepping onto the piste.
- Jeon Eun-hye handed Komashchuk her first defeat in the final, 4-5, bringing the overall score to 37-40 in favor of the Koreans. Kharlan returned for the decisive bout to 45 points.
- The Beijing 2008 champion started with a 3-0 run and soon equalized the score at 42-42. Kharlan continued her streak with three more successful touches, securing Ukraine’s first gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games!
What does the medal of the Ukrainian sabre fencers signify?
- Ukraine’s first gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics and the third medal overall in Paris.
- Ukraine’s first gold in fencing since 2012, when Yana Shemyakina won the individual epee event. It is also Ukraine’s seventh Olympic medal in fencing history.
- Olga Kharlan becomes a two-time Olympic champion in fencing, having also won gold in the team event at her debut Games in 2008.
- Alina Komashchuk and Olena Kravatska win their second Olympic medals (and their first golds). This is Yuliia Bakastova’s first medal at this level.
- Kharlan’s sixth Olympic medal makes her the sole record holder for the most Olympic medals in Ukraine’s history.
