Defending champions Germany regained their Qatar Fencing Federation Grand Prix title defeating Russia in the finals of the team event at Doha’s ASPIRE Academy yesterday.
The German team outplayed their Russian opponents in a tense final watched by a packed gallery, and despite a last round rally by the Russians, it was the German team that struck gold, winning by 26 points to 22. The French team finished in the bronze medal position.
The Fencing Grand Prix was the first International sporting event to be hosted at ASPIRE and proved the perfect opportunity to showcase the academy’s impressive arenas to elite international sportsmen and audiences alike.
One of only nine sports included in the very first Olympic Games, fencing uses a mix of blade work, footwork, tactics and strategy, and is the modern day equivalent of middle-age dueling.
Fitting too, that one of the oldest Olympic sports was seen in the world’s latest sporting arena, dedicating to forging future Olympic athletes in Qatar.
The ASPIRE dome’s unrivaled facilities included dedicated fencing strips and spectator viewing areas to ensure that visitors were able to get close to the cut and thrust of what is undoubtedly one of the most exciting spectator sports.
Dr. Thomas Flock, Director General of ASPIRE, said: “We are extremely proud to have hosted the fencing Grand Prix and to have welcomed such an impressive array of internationally renowned fencers.
“This is the first of many International sporting competitions to be hosted at ASPIRE. With ten major arenas under one climate controlled roof, the ASPIRE dome is the ideal venue for the highest levels of competition.”
Fencing is also one of the Olympic sports that ASPIRE will introduce over the next year, to enable student athletes with an interest and ability in the sport to develop their talents further.
