Pál Szekeres, the fencing legend who overcame fear.
Augusto Bizzi, the eye that catches the soul of fencing.
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Daniele Pantoni, the flame that lights the fire of the Italian épée.
40
The fencer’s knee. Dr. Alain Daher.
TouchéWorld Directory
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Americans dominated the panamerican championship in costa rica.
52
The best of the South gathers in Rosario.
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I´m… Iván Groupierre ARG.
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Rosario: A triangle of passion for sports, tourism and culture.
EDITOR IN CHIEF: Calú Pargas EDITOR: Matias Puzio PRESS HEAD: Luis Morales JOURNALIST: Alberto Díaz Peluso GENERAL COORDINATOR AND TRANSLATOR : María Trinidad Colmenares ARGENTINA
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Welcome to TouchéWorld Magazine, For fencing increasingly committed to the environment
Calú Pargas Gabaldón
TouchéWorld Editorial founder.
The echo of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games still resonates in our hearts. Fencing, a sport of elegance and precision, gave us unforgettable moments. But beyond the medals and applause, there is a story to tell, a community to celebrate and a future to build. In this issue of TouchéWorld, we dive into the heart of the sport, from the big stages to the local courts, aiming to inspire everyone.
Who wasn’t thrilled to see the brilliant fencing at Paris 2024? Fencing offered us moments of pure adrenaline, but also showed us the passion, dedication and sporting spirit of its athletes.
This month we had the opportunity to speak with leading figures in world fencing, such as Maestro Daniele Pantoni, coach of the Italian epee team that won the gold medal. We also had the honour of being welcomed by the Vice President of the FIE, Ana Irene Delgado Guerra, who spoke to us about the current policies of international fencing.
In the context of the Paralympic Games, we prepared a report on the renowned career of Bebe Vio. However, we also covered other aspects of our sport, such as the participation in the Pan American Games in Costa Rica and the South American Tournament in Rosario.
Another important character in world fencing that we decided to give a voice to in this edition is Augusto Bizzi, who is the person in charge of photography for the International Fencing Federation.
We are also committed to a greener fencing policy and, from now on, we will be promoting good practices to contribute to environmental conservation without giving up physical activity.
We are grateful to all the fencers, coaches, referees and fans who make this sport so special. Thank you for your passion, dedication and commitment. Together, we form a unique and incomparable community. At TouchéWorld, we will continue working to provide you with the best content and the tools necessary to achieve your goals.
Ana Irene Delgado for a greener fencing
Ana Irene Delgado Guerra, a Panamanian fencer who has become an international leader, revolutionizing the world of fencing. As vice president of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) and Panama’s ambassador to the Organization of American States, Delgado Guerra combines her passion for the sport with a strong commitment to sustainability.
She has loved fencing since she was very young and represented her country in various competitions, but decided to retire in 2013 after participating in the World Championship held in Budapest, Hungary.
During her journey through the world of fencing, she realized how difficult it is for Latin American athletes to achieve their goals, since they do not have the support that European or Asian athletes tend to have, and travel throughout the circuit with the best coaches and have competitions throughout the year.
Ana Irene took time to speak to TouchéWorld and celebrated the good position that fencing achieved at the last Olympic Games in Paris 2024.
“We were one of the most praised sports. The president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, was a fencer and has been very supportive of us. That is good for Latin American sport, but also for all continents,” she said.
For her, fencing has achieved significant growth in various regions and is no longer a sport dominated primarily by Europeans, so there is now more competition, as shown by the medal table in Paris, where Japan, the United States, South Korea and Hong Kong occupied the first four places respectively.
The lawyer and politician, in her role as director of FIE, has sought to promote a greener, cleaner sport, and little by little parameters have been established to make fencing a sport that contributes to the planet.
The environment commission directed by Delgado Guerra seeks to generate actions that promote change. This ranges from reducing face-toface meetings to lower the carbon footprint of managers, to ensuring that implements are manufactured in green industries.
Ana Irene says that the commission is represented by members from all continents, and in addition one member of each FIE commission is related to environmental issues.
“The Executive Committee has given me the power to make certain decisions, which have sometimes been controversial. We are talking about negotiating with the organizers of the competitions, let’s not forget that there are sponsors, and that has been our most important challenge.”
Among the representatives of this working group are Joyce Bolaños, Maha Mourdad, Elena Murdaca, Baiba Brandule, as well as a representative from each continent, in this case they are Marcelo Lorca from Chile, Reni Hamzulida from Indonesia, Abdul Zoromi from Mali, Clare Halstead from the UK and Matthew Baker from New Zealand.
Another challenge is that fencing is an indoor sport, which makes the environmental issue more difficult, and for many of the competitions you have to travel long distances, which obviously emits carbon every time you take a plane,
“even though in European countries we try to tell kids that if they can go by train, they should do so, to avoid that consumption.”
Another important example that they seek to promote is that in competitions each athlete can bring their own water container and it can be refilled on site, instead of using plastic bottles. These are small changes, but very important.
In the case of Latin America, it is worth noting that the children’s and veteran Pan American tournament in Costa Rica (Escazú) and the South American pre-cadets, cadets and youth tournament in Rosario in Argentina have the principle of being tournaments that contribute to the environment.
These policies are also promoted by the International Olympic Committee, which has been offering the Climate Action Awards for some time, encouraging, recognising and rewarding innovative projects by National Olympic Committees (NOCs), International Federations (IFs) and athletes that aim to reduce the environmental impact of sports.
“We at the FIE do not yet feel ready to compete for these awards because we feel that we have much more to do compared to other larger federations that even have a department with a staff that is responsible for sustainability and the environment. At the moment, we only do this with a working group.”
As part of her work, Delgado Guerra has also managed seminars with important speakers such as representatives of the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee to continue promoting environmental conservation.
Ana Irene commented that the executive committee meetings are already half virtual and half in person, and and those are held when there are competitions... when there are competitions or world championships since, in any case, the executive committee has to be present.
However, she is aware: “You can’t tell an athlete to stop traveling because that’s how they look for their rankings. So, regarding transportation, we do have a bit of a hard time, especially for athletes from America, Africa and Asia mainly, who have such long flights,” she said.
Likewise, the Panamanian thanked the representative of the International Olympic Committee in charge of sustainability, Julie Duffus, for the support: “She told us that to be a federation the size of the FIE, with a staff of no more than 10 people, compared for example, with other international federations such as the ski federation or FIFA, we have made progress and now we would like to have athletes promoting these actions. I think that will be one of our next steps.”
The board concluded by saying that in November elections to the FIE Executive Committee will be held in Uzbekistan and their wish is presenting the results of these actions and setting up new ideas for the next administrations.
The beautiful story that started in Seoul
Pál Szekeres, the fencing legend who overcame fear
Not all heroes wear capes. Many of them do not fly or have other special powers, they only have determination and the will to live. This is the case of Hungarian fencer Pál Szekeres, the only athlete to win at least one medal in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In the run-up to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, stories like that of Pál Szekeres take on greater relevance. This fencer born in Budapest discovered early what ran through his veins, the love for the discipline. He felt close to touching the sky and, at his best, misfortune knocked on his door, but far from paralyzing him, it gave him the impetus to become a legend.
He won bronze at the Seoul Olympics, he also won three golds at the Paralympics in Barcelona and Atlanta, as well as bronzes in Sydney, Athens and Beijing.
Today, the Hungarian is president of the International Wheelchair Fencing Federation (IWAS) and in his second term, he has ensured that the discipline continues to develop and gain exposure.
Szekeres, in his second term at the helm of the organization, has ensured that wheelchair fencing will also be part of the programme for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. For the Paris event, the majestic Grand Palais was the perfect setting for the the world’s best athletes to fight for medals.
The beautiful story that started in Seoul
At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Szekeres joined the Hungarian foil team alongside István Szelei, Róbert Gátai, Zsolt Érsek and István Busa. Their performance was so good that they ended up following the Soviet Union and Germany on the podium. Bu obtaining the bronze medal.
It was not the first time that Pál Szekeres took part in the Olympic Games. In Moscow 80 he made his debut in the event of the five colored rings, but four years later he couldn’t make it to Los Angeles 1984 due to the boycott of Hungary.
The chance was in Seoul and he did not miss it. A year after winning bronze, things continued to improve to the point of reaching number one in the world for four months. Winning the individual gold foil in Barcelona 92 was an increasingly achievable dream.
Sometimes each person’s plans are different from those of their destiny. A year before the event in Spain, Szekeres suffered a terrible bus accident with the Hungarian team on the return trip after a competition in Germany. Since he was lying in the grass, on the side of the road, he knew that things would not end well.
His back was broken, so the efforts made by doctors to save his legs were insufficient. He was only 27 years old, in full sporting maturity.
“I thought about killing myself. I felt like my life was over. “I told my teammates that my life was over because my spine was broken.”
Pál Szekeres
In moments of mourning, he thought that his life would be reduced to the mobility that a wheelchair could allow him. Until life taught him that he had the talent and determination to go wherever he wanted.
While attending rehabilitation therapies, hospital staff encouraged him to keep going. They let him know that in a wheelchair he could fulfill that dream of being a champion and, like a good hero, he knew how to listen. He went to a German team training session in Belgium.
“In fact, I won my first title during rehabilitation. So I returned to Hungary not as a disabled boy, but as a European wheelchair fencing champion.”
It was not what he dreamed at first, because reality surpassed him.
Shortly after the life-changing accident, Szekeres began wheelchair fencing. He won his first
European title in November and qualified for the Barcelona 92 Paralympic Games.
In his first Paralympic Games he won the gold medal after beating Sze Kit Chan. That medal made him write an unprecedented page in the history of the Olympics: for the first time an athlete won a medal in both editions, fact that no one has been able to repeat.
“When I won the tournament and became a Paralympic champion, all the bad feelings disappeared. The dream came true. I could see the continuity of my career as a fencer. I had new goals, new objectives.”
And those goals were accomplished little by little. The first was to make his beloved Hungary an accessible place for athletes like him. The talent for athletes with a disability was just as great as that of conventional athletes, but much more was needed than that.
“When I returned from rehabilitation, I realized that Hungary was not accessible. The fencing room did not have the necessary access, neither did the cinema, nor did the shops, nightclubs and bars; only the pharmacy and the hospital.”
The figure of Pál Szekeres gained notoriety in his country and in sports. He went to the Atlanta 96 Paralympic Games and was a double champion, in foil and individual saber. Then he added consecutive bronzes in Sydney 2000 (foil), Athens 2004 (épée) and another in Beijing 2008 (foil).
According to a note from Paralympics.com, Szekeres’ legacy in Hungary is tremendous. 100% of the buildings are wheelchair accessible and the employment rate for people with disabilities increased by 8%.
His vocation for service led him into politics. This year he was elected MEP for the Patriots for Europe party. In his native Hungary, he has also held various government positions, including Undersecretary of State at the Hungarian Ministry of Children, Youth and Sport (1999-2005).
París 2024, the most glamorous Olympics
When the Japanese men’s foil team gave the last touch in the final combat against Italy, the fencing of Paris 2024 lowered the curtain, between feelings of joy and nostalgia Without major surprises among the gold medalists, the discipline left unforgettable fights and a demonstration of the improvement of the Asian school, challenging European tradition.
Despite some negative comments regarding the organization of the games, fencing seemed exempt from them. The quality of the fencers in competition, the level of refereeing and the elegance of a magical venue, ensured that lovers of this discipline and those who did not, had a high-class spectacle.
Grand Palais, the setting of a fairy tale
The architecture of the Grand Palais took fencing out of marvelous armory rooms to a setting with exquisite architecture. Inaugurated in 1900, this historic venue was a true success, due to its comfort and majesty.
The image of the finalists leaving the terrace and descending the magnificent stairs towards the main track will remain in history. It is impossible that any of the photographs taken in this area have not been a work of art.
We will see incredible images again in taekwondo and wheelchair fencing, in the Paralympics.
The rebound of the Asian school
Fencing and Europe are an inseparable pair. Due to tradition, talent and methodology, the old continent has led the way in the medal tables in the Olympic Games. In the seven editions of the new millennium, America and Asia have developed their fencing schools under the shadow of Europe, until Paris 2024.
In Paris, half of the 12 gold medals awarded went to countries on the Asian continent. South Korea, Hong Kong and Japan each won two gold medals, Europe won four and America won two, owned by the United States.
In the Sydney 2000 edition, in which Asia added a gold, courtesy of South Korea, that continent did not win any medals in Athens 2004. When the games set foot in Beijing in 2008, only China won a gold medal in Zhong Man’s saber; since then, growth has been exponential.
London 2012 witnessed how South Korea and China added a pair of golds each, out of the 10 that were in dispute. Four years later, in Rio 2016, only the Koreans were able to reach the top of the podium, while in Tokyo 2020 Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea and China won a gold medal by delegation.
Several countries, including Asian ones, took advantage of the Russian team’s absence.
The legends that were consolidated in Paris
The Grand Palais was the perfect venue for experienced fencers to show the world what they can do. Notable examples include American Lee Kiefer, Hong Kong native Ka Long Cheung and Ukrainian Olga Kharlan.
Kiefer repeated her Tokyo 2020 gold in the individual foil event and also led the U.S. team to gold after defeating Arianna Errigo’s Italy. Now, the Cleveland native has three Olympic golds, seven at the Pan American Games, along with one gold, two silvers and four bronzes at World Championships.
Hong Kong’s Ka Long Cheung also successfully defended his Tokyo 2020 title in the foil event. The Asian defeated the Italian Filippo Macchi in the final, leaving Nick Itkin, second in the FIE ranking, with the bronze.
Olga Kharlan’s performance was outstanding. With six gold medals at World Championships, the Mykolaiv-born athlete won bronze in individual sabre, but was the spark plug for her team in winning gold against South Korea.
Hungary once again won gold in the team epee event with a team led by Gergely Siklosi and Mate Koch. The victory allowed the Hungarians to end a 52-year streak without winning this competition, since Győző Kulcsár won it in Munich in 1972.
the Home team was left in debt
France did everything to take over the overall medal table and even more so while at home. But of the 12 medals in dispute, the French could only add one gold in the four finals they were able to compete in.
Manon Apithy-Brunet saved the honor of French fencing in the individual sabre final, where the locals had secured gold, her rival was Sara Balzer. The top two in the FIE ranking in that weapon were the greatest joys of the Europeans.
The defeats left a bitter taste in the home team. The epee team (Marie-Florence Candassamy, Auriane Mallo, Coraline Vitalis and Alexandra Louis-Marie), could not defeat Italy. Mallo failed against Hong Kong’s Vivian Kong in epee and Yannick Borel lost to Japan’s Koki Kano, also in épée.
The note of color, a pregnant fencer in Paris
When Nada Hafez stepped onto the court in Paris, many were unaware of the secret she was holding. The world number 29 opened by beating American Elizabeth Tartakowsky 15-13 in the round of 32. In the round of 16, she had a different fate when she was eliminated 15-7 by Hayoung Jeon of South Korea.
Speaking to the press, the African announced that she competed while seven months pregnant, a peculiarity that did not stop her from fulfilling her Olympic dream.
Fencing lowers the curtain amid many emotions, with an eye on an event in four years in Los Angeles. How many of the winners in Paris will be in Los Angeles 2028?
It can be said that it is the visible face of parafencing. From a very young age she decided that the sport of swords was going to be her passion, but meningitis at the age of 11 seemed to stop aspirations of reaching the Olympic Games. However, she continued pursuing her goals and Paris will be the third time that the Italian athlete, known as Bebe Vio, competes in the Paralympic Games.
Beatrice Maria Vio Grandis, 27, is much more than just an athlete. She is one of the greatest figures in sports for people with disabilities, and every day she shows us that there are no limits.
From that girl who had to have her limbs amputated, there remains a whole person teach us lessons with lessons whenever she can, and who now sees as perfect a simple Sunday lunch.....
According to a work carried out by Dazed, Bebe Vio was chosen as the Olympic torchbearer after more than a thousand people signed a petition to the International Paralympic Committee to support her candidacy. On that occasion, Italy’s child prodigy put security in trouble while she tried to run, despite being told to walk. Now, with 64 medals (including gold from the 2016 and 2020 Paralympic Games), plus
27 broken prosthetics, she is probably one of the greatest wheelchair fencers in history.
“Now is the time to give it all! Afterwards, the workload will gradually decrease. We will train a lot with the entire team: coach, physical trainer, doctor, physiotherapist... We all have to agree on how to get to the Paralympic Games. As athletes, we have to trust the people around us,” explains the athlete in the interview.
But the Italian does not detract from the entire process that it takes to be in the Olympic Games again: “The classification is important, but it is also nice to experience the journey together, experience the team and encourage each other. In Paris, regardless of the classification, we will all be together in the same house, cheering and following the competitions of our teammates. Normally we would compete and leave. This is a unique way of experiencing it. “This year is also a double challenge,” she said excitedly.
Beatrice María does not hide what happened to her when she was just a child, and now she sees it as an opportunity. “Children don’t worry too much; adults think too much. Children do not know depression nor do they have doubts, they do not care about the pain. The only important thing is to play again. If they break a leg, they don’t ask the doctor if it’s safe, they go back to play dragging the leg. I was lucky to have it at a young age because I didn’t ask myself too many questions... me too many questions;The adults
always told me: “You can’t do this anymore.”
She also had a space to thank her parents for all their support, “I was lucky to have two parents with guts who work to improve other people’s lives.”
But Bebe Vio’s work does not stop there, she also works tirelessly at Art4Sports, an institution that seeks to integrate amputee children so they can have a full life. She currently works with more than 45 people in the team.
“We don’t care about gender, religion or ethnicity, we accept everything that is considered different to turn it into something normal. The objective is to normalize. It is a mistake to think of people with disabilities as superheroes when they do ordinary
things. That kind of mindset makes you think, “Oh, they’re so good at being able to do everything without their arms!” For example, when people who need to wear glasses put them on, does that.... They only require one accessory. The goal is, in eight years, to walk into a random gym in Italy, let’s start slowly and being able to see children with or without legs, in wheelchairs, standing, blind, all playing sports together as if it were something normal ”.
“15 % of the world´s population has a disability; If we put them all together, we would form a great country as big as China”.
Although the Italian clarifies that “I would never have wanted my family to go through the pain they did, for anything in the world. I wouldn’t wish it on even my worst enemy. Now I’m happy, my life is great.”
But, it also implies that there are increasingly more people with disabilities and that we have to integrate them into society: “15 % of the world’s population has a disability; If we put them all together, we would form a great country as big as China.”
And one of those ways to integrate is through sport: “It teaches you to respect rules and people, to solve problems, to work hard, to work as a team and to dream. Sport is good because it makes you a better person. We have to realize that behind the athletes there is the work of many people. It is not because of us, but thanks to the entire group if we reach that last point.”
Augusto Bizzi: The eye that catches the soul of fencing
It can be said that he is one of those tireless workers in fencing. He can be seen in all major events of the discipline around the world. Along with his camera, he has become one key reference thanks to his images.
Through the lens of his camera, Augusto Bizzi and Bizzi Team provide us with much of the photographic material on international fencing. The 58-year-old Italian made his debut as a photographer of the sport of fencing at a European Championship in kyiv in 2008, prior to the Beijing Olympic Games, and has not stopped working with fencing since then.
It all started thanks to his son, who decided to practice this beautiful sport, so the photographer put aside his responsibilities with the big agencies where he could follow more commercial disciplines such as European football and MotoGP.
Tell us about your beginnings
I started following fencing before the 2008 Olympic Games. I went to the European championships, where I met several people from the Italian fencing federation, including the then president, Giorgio Scarzo. We became close and in 2009 I started working for the Italian Fencing Federation. Then I joined many other federations and in 2014, the FIE asked me to start working with them. This is how this very nice path began in which I follow all the competitions and I would say that we make a great contribution to the knowledge and development of fencing around the world.
How many people are on your team?
There are six of us working now. We are a bit spread out around the world, I have a Canadian, a Spanish and three more Italians. People think there are many more of us. We have several competitions to follow, sometimes in a weekend we have up to five competitions.
But we don’t just cover fencing. For example, for the Paralympic Games we will be the official photographers of the Italian Paralympic Committee and we will cover all sports.
What kind of equipment do you use for this type of events?
It depends a lot on where we are, because each place is different, and depending on the light, the distance we have from the subjects, we change the lenses or the sensitivity of the cameras. Anyway, we have high-end cameras, but we almost always carry nice and heavy luggage.
With the experience we have, we know many places, so we know where we are going and it is simpler, so we only take what we need for that competition. Before, when we didn’t know as much, it was a little more complex and we had to carry more equipment with us.
What is the hardest aspect of fencing photography?
First of all, fencing is like photographing three different sports, because foil, épée and sabre have different speeds, so for me they are almost three different sports.
The people who practice them are completely different people. Saber athletes are more impetuous, faster people, they don’t think much.
Foil is calmer, like a game of chess, and suddenly it becomes fast. Épée is a weapon that waits and then the flash can come, but there can also be a hand strike, you almost don’t notice it because it’s jingling. That’s why for each weapon you have to go with an alert mind.
The day you cover the foil world championship you have to think like a foil fencer, the day you do saber you have to think like a saber fencer, the day you do épée you have to think like a épée fencer.
You always have to be alert in case of movement. Of course, because it’s all so fast that in an instant you’ve lost it. Yes, everything is a surprise. Is it possible to connect photography and fencing with art?
Fencing is an art rather than a sport. If you capture a moment of fencing, you represent an artistic moment. You capture a movement in a natural way that makes photography become art. I think fencing has many movements similar to ballet.
Many photographers ask me if I’m not bored with always working with fencing and the answer is always no, because each round is a different story.
There comes a time when the world number 64 beats the world number one, that’s part of the beauty of fencing. That doesn’t happen in speed sports, where if someone is faster, they will always be faster.
What are your best photographs?
This is a question that many people always ask me, but in theory there is no such thing as the best photograph. It is the athlete who prefers one photo or another because it reminds him or her of a specific moment. For the photographer, the moment you take the photo is like eating. After a while you get hungry again and want to take another photo.
The ones I remember are photos perhaps linked to a friend or an athlete you saw growing up, who won a world championship. They are historical moments rather than beautiful photographs. These are those moments that the photo is created to remember in life.
Only those who remain there can understand what photography is. Like in the last Olympic Games, which I believe is the best competition of my life.
Anyone you would like to photograph from the fencing community or another sport?
I have been very lucky in my life. I’ve photographed Michael Jordan, LeBron James three days ago, Bebe Vio, Messi and Ronaldo. But I don’t care that much about the character. I am interested in what that person can give me at that time.
For example, in Italy we have an under-14 competition, which brings together 3,500
children for about a week at the Italian fencing championships. The photos that come out of it are spectacular.
It doesn’t matter if you photograph the champion, one should photograph the beauty of life.
What advice can you give to new photographers?
It takes a lot of passion. Only passion is what makes you overcome obstacles. The problem with young people today is that they think that with a mobile phone in their hand they can do everything.
With this passion to improve yourself every day you will be able to achieve certain results. I think it is the only way to be a great photographer, and manage to connect with people’s hearts.
I believe that a great photographer must connect directly with emotions, with the spirit, with the heart, with the moment and with people.
Is sports photography more difficult than artistic photography?
A photograph always depends on how you look at it, the two branches can join together at certain times. But I believe that a photographer should always be a poet of the image.
What are your next goals as a photographer?
Right now we start the new season. For another four years we must all work towards the Olympic Games, which will be a new adventure.
This cycle is just beginning for everyone. Those who lost would want to win.
Daniele Pantoni, the flame that lights the fire of the Italian épée
The Italian school is an example of work in fencing. It has shown the world how rough diamonds can be polished to shine on the world’s arenas. Daniele Pantoni is one of those “goldsmiths” who has been in charge of shaping these “precious stones” that ensure years of victories and medals for that country.
Pantoni is one of those coaches that everyone loves. At his club, Fiamme Oro-Polizia di Stato, he has an enviable record. The current Olympic champions of the Italian épée team, Alberta
Santuccio and Rossella Fiamingo, train there daily to achieve excellence.
Toucheworld had the honor of interviewing Pantoni following the Paris Olympic Games. Every word he says is a guide, a way of seeing fencing in a comprehensive way. It is not only a question of talent, but also of attitude and training, which is why the work of this coach is a “golden flame”, as the name of his club translates into Spanish.
What was it that brought you into fencing?
I discovered it when I was 11 years old because there was a coach at my school who was very passionate about this discipline. During physical education classes he made us practice fencing and I liked it so much that I joined a club. This is precisely the Fiamme Oro-Polizia di Stato, the same one in which I remain, but now as a coach.
What was that teacher’s name?
I don’t remember his name, but I do remember the name of my first coach at the club, Luigi Pacifico. I consider him my true mentor.
Did you start with the épée or another weapon?
I started with foil and later moved on to épée. In 1990, at the age of 27, I retired as an athlete and began my career as a coach.
At first I worked with children and gained experience until I became a national team coach in the youth category. I continued to do so until I reached the Italian national senior team in 2001, but without leaving my club, Fiamme Oro-Polizia di Stato, where I still work.
Do you train traditional, conventional and wheelchair épée?
I work with the national Olympic team and also with five Paralympic athletes. I started with them in September 2016 after the Rio Paralympics and among my students I have Alessio Sarri, world vice-champion in sabre and world champion in épée.
What have these Olympic Games left for Daniele Pantoni as coach of the Italian team?
I have been the coach of the Italian team at five or six Olympic Games, but the one in Paris had a special meaning. I have participated directly in training a couple of athletes, such as Alberta Santuccio and Rosella Fiamingo.
Alberta made the final push against Frenchwoman Mallo to win gold in the team event. She has grown a lot in the seven years we have been together, to the point of becoming one of the best in the world.
I have been training Rosella for about a year and a half and I can say that she is a great champion. She came into my hands because she moved to Rome when she married Gegorio Patrinieri, a very famous swimmer who has won five Olympic medals. In Paris, she won a gold medal and he won
a silver and a bronze. At the closing ceremony, they both carried the Italian flag.
Working with both fencers has been a source of pride for me and I am very happy. We are aware that we must do our own work with each one, without envy because, in addition, they are very good friends. It’s not easy to work with two athletes of that level and my challenge is to strike the right balance.
These two fencers raised the level of the Italian team in Paris.
Definitely. I have other very strong fencers in my hands, such as Valerio Cuomo, who was a reserve at the Olympic Games. Last year he placed sixth at the World Championships and moved up to sixth place in the rankings. There are also others who are fighting for a place in the team, so having Santuccio and Fiamingo brings level.
Will these talents be ready for Los Angeles 2028?
In September, when the Paralympics are over, we will return to training and what was done will be a thing of the past. We will work directly towards the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
How many athletes are retiring in this cycle and how many are preparing for this new four-year cycle?
Mara Navarria is likely to leave the women’s team that won gold in Paris, while the others may take a break. Alberta Santuccio is getting married on October 12 and may want to have a baby, while Rosella Fiamingo may be taking some time off. I think she needs to recharge her mind and start over.
Giulia Rizzi, who debuted in the Olympic Games at the age of 35, will continue, but taking her age into account. We, as a coaching staff, must start preparing the younger athletes. We have four or five who will continue with us and in two years they could compete at a high level.
There is a long way to grow in four years.
Of course, it is not easy to replace such a strong team with young athletes. To create another one this strong, we need at least eight years, which is equivalent to two Olympic cycles. This team, which won gold in Paris, finished second at the 2023 World Championship and won gold at this year’s European Championship. In addition, it won three World Cups and was number one in the rankings throughout 2024.
What is your best memory of Paris?
I will certainly remember the gold medal fight in the women’s epee, the final lunge. Personally, I was moved by the messages my athletes wrote the night after the competition. I will always carry them with me because they were messages of gratitude, as if they were my daughters.
How can Italian Fencing improve?
There is always room for improvement, so I’m going to talk about the épée. We are working very well both at the national team and club level, that is where we need to strengthen our position. We have very good athletes, but they do not have such a strong organization to be greater.
At the junior and cadet level, we have excellent fencers, but many of them are lost because they do not have an organization, a structure that allows them to grow at the highest level.
Italy has some of the best fencers in the world.
Yes, although the French are stronger. They have 120,000 members registered in the Federation. Our organization leaves all the work in the hands of teachers and private clubs. Here many athletes go to military sports groups because they allow them to continue fencing while being paid, as is the case with the Police.
What advice would you give to future coaches who aspire to make it to the Olympic Games?
I don’t know if I’m the right person to give advice on this, but from my experience, I can tell you that everything is worked on step by step. A coach can train a great athlete and think that he has made him the best in the world, but it is necessary to remain humble because every day we can grow more.
If I had thought a few years ago that I was the best teacher in the world, I would not have been able to achieve anything. You have to be humble and work knowing that you can always improve. The athletes themselves help you improve.
Daniele Pantoni is an example of perseverance and preparation. A man who has been loyal to his principles and to his club, Fiamme Oro-Polizia di Stato. That “golden flame” has allowed him to reach the top of fencing, training the best in the world, but always with the mind focused on the fact that every day is a new challenge and the sky’s the limit.
The fencer’s knee Dr. Alain Daher
Fencing, despite being an elegant sport, like any other discipline, carries risks of injuries. In this case, one of the main problems is the knees.
The traumatologist and knee specialist, Alain Daher, took a few minutes to talk with TouchéWorld and explain what happens in these cases.
Causes of injury
The constant repetition of flexion and extension movements of the knee, characteristic of fencing, puts great stress on the menisci, making them particularly vulnerable to injury, although they can also be affected by everyday events.
In fencing, injuries to the internal and external meniscus, collateral ligaments and cruciate ligaments are common. Among the chronic pathologies is patellar chondromalacia of varying degrees. Nerve injuries are common in the patellar and quadriceps tendon at their insertion into the proximal pole of the patella.
“There are certain movements that are very frequent and are quite present in sports that can damage the menisci. If the person is bending over, for example, and stands up suddenly, the meniscus can fracture. Just like if the person is standing and stretches his legs back. The same happens if they have their legs bent for a long time and finally if the foot is in a position and the person rotates and instead of turning the body, they only turn the trunk.”
For the knee specialist, what is striking is that many times these injuries do not cause a painful scene, but rather the athlete may simply be left with a slight discomfort that begins to become more noticeable as the days go by.
Diagnosis
When this discomfort worsens, it is best to go to a doctor, who will perform a physical evaluation and determine the severity of the injury, also supported by studies such as MRI.
In the case of MRI, the doctor said that it is not only useful to see the injury, but also to know the extent and “this way you can have predictions of the probability that the body will heal it or not.”
The treatments that Dr. Alain Daher explained in these cases do not always involve surgery: “At a global level, we always recommend patience, because the body can heal most injuries. While we try to find out which structure was damaged, we try to limit the movements that aggravate the damage and give the person’s biology time to see if it heals or not, and in that case we try to correct what the body did not heal. We now use a laser which allows us to make small incisions. Thus the operating time lasts less, there is no blood, there is less time in an operating room, less medication and lower cost.”
Recommendations
While there is no magic formula to completely eliminate the risk of knee injuries, Dr. Daher emphasizes the importance of taking preventative measures to minimize them, especially for a competing athlete.
“It is very important to avoid direct body-to-body contact. Try not to twist with the foot fixed in one position. If there is discomfort or pain, stop the competition and have yourself checked. It is important to avoid being overweight. It is also necessary to work the muscular part to protect the joint.”
However, it is normal for wear and tear to occur over time because you no longer have the same amount of collagen as when you are younger and supplements only help regenerate the muscle part, but not an injured tendon or fibrocartilage. In these cases where muscle parts need to be regenerated, magnesium and also vitamin E are recommended.
Caring for electric jackets
The electric jacket is a fundamental piece of fencing equipment for foil and sabre that guarantees precision in marking points. The conductive material it is made of delimits the valid areas of the body and allows to determine with precision whether a touch is valid.
Jackets can be made of different materials, among the best known are stainless steel, nickel and copper.
As expected, each material has its advantages and disadvantages, with copper being the cheapest and least durable. However, the material is only one component, so comfort, fit and budget also need to be taken into account.
Over time, the jacket may develop dead spots. In this case, if there are only a few, a patch made of the same material can be applied. If there are several, it should be replaced.
Why is it so important?
Precision: Ensures that every touch is recorded correctly, avoiding disputes and ensuring fairness in competitions.
Safety: Protects the fencer by clearly indicating valid touch areas of the body.
Durability: A well-maintained jacket can last, depending on its material: copper can last one year, nickel between one and two years, and stainless steel can last more than two years, but depending on the care given to it, this time can be longer. This would represent a long-term investment.
Essential care to extend its lifespan:
Regular cleaning: Only the stainless steel jackets are hand washable with warm water, soak for a while with a mild detergent and then wipe with a soft sponge to remove stains. Avoid using chlorine and fabric softeners. It is not recommended to wash too often, on the contrary, do it every two or three months. Depending on the use.
Drying: Drain the water first with a towel and then hang to dry in the open air, away from direct heat sources.
Storage: Store in a dry and ventilated place, avoiding excessive folding and always on the wrong side of the jacket.
Repair: If there is any damage, consult a specialist in fencing equipment repair. Remember! A well-maintained electric jacket will accompany you through many competitions and help you achieve your goals on the piste.
Americans dominated the The Panamerican Championship in Costa Rica
The United States delegation finished as the great champion of the Pan American Children and Veteran Championship in Escazú (Costa Rica), closing with 76 total medals, obtaining 22 gold, 21 silver and 33 bronze, far surpassing its closest rival, Brazil, who managed to complete the event with 17 medals in total.
The championship, which was attended by more than 300 fencers from 14 nations on the continent, marked a milestone in Pan-American fencing by being one of the first in the region to be held under the new ecological standards promoted by the International Federation of fencing (FIE).
There were too many emotions experienced in the 36 categories contested during the tournament, where both both children and adults showed... adults showed the best of their talent on the Costa Rican piste. One of the outstanding figures among the children was the American Wallace Wu, who covered himself with gold on two occasions, the first in the men’s children’s B foil category and the second with the same weapon, but in the children’s A category.
Another American, John Mazaheri, also took part in the championship, being one of the most successful fencers, winning three medals in three different categories. He opened the competition by becoming champion of the children’s men’s epee A, then he won a bronze in the children’s foil B and closed his participation with a silver medal in the children’s foil A.
On the girls’ side, one of the best individual performances was undoubtedly given by the Brazilian Manuela Hansen, who won three medals. During the first day she won bronze in the children’s B women’s sabre. However, she later won gold in the children’s A and then changed weapons to once again take gold by winning the children’s A women’s epee.
Among the veterans, it is worth highlighting the good performance of Silvia Rothfeld (Brazil) and Carlos Covani (Argentina), who closed with a pair of golds each, demonstrating why they are also classified as some of the best fencers, not only on the continent but in the world.
Rothfeld had no major problems in beating her rivals, winning gold in the women’s pre-veteran foil and the veterans’ foil 1. Covani did the same by winning the men’s pre-veteran épée and the men’s veterans’ épée 1.
For the FIE and the organizing committee, the event ended as a total success, demonstrating the organizational growth obtained by the Costa Rican Fencing Federation, who also recently received the qualifying championship for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The best of the South gathers in Rosario
Athlets gather in Rosario for the South American championship
More than 400 fencers from 10 countries in the Southern Cone will seek to bathe in continental glory when they compete in the 2024 South American Pre-Cadet, Cadet and Youth Fencing Championship from September 16 to 21 at the “Salvador Bonilla” indoor stadium of the Club Atlético Provincial in the beautiful Argentine city of Rosario.
An unprecedented event, being the first “sustainable” sporting event to be held in the history of Rosario and the first in terms of fencing on the entire American continent. “This concept consists of each fencer being given a refillable ecological bottle and there will be hydration points distributed throughout the stadium, thus considering the care and hydration of the athletes, as well as caring for the environment, reducing plastic consumption,” said Dr. Celina Buelga, General Coordinator of the South American Championship.
The opening ceremony will take place at the Monumento Nacional a la Bandera (National Flag Monument), one of the most appreciated emblems of the city. There, the official presentation of each of the eleven delegations (Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela and Panama) will take place, as well as the traditional parade with the banners of all the participating nations.
In sports, Brazil arrives as one of the big favorites for the event, after what was demonstrated in the 2023 edition in Paraguay. One of its strong cards is the sabrist Ana Beatriz Fraga, who knew what it was like to be on the podium in the three categories in the previous competition, achieving individual and team gold in pre-cadet, silver in individual youth, while she obtained bronzes in cadet foil and cadet saber.
Livia Matos is another Amazonian to watch out for. In 2023, she won three gold medals in the Paraguayan capital. Matos showed her great talent in the foil events, where she climbed to the top of the podium in the pre-cadet and cadet categories during the individual events, while in the team event she was part of the Brazilian delegation that was crowned champion.
Astrid Bravo from Peru would be another of the fencers to keep an eye on in this championship. In 2023, she was crowned champion and runnerup on the first day of competition, dominating the pre-cadet épée event and placing second in the pre-cadet foil event. She also managed to get on the podium in the cadet category, this time with the bronze medal in the épée event.
In the men’s category, the Argentine Vlad Thomas Beauchamp will be one of the strong cards of the local delegation for the event, seeking to surpass what was done in Asunción where he won two silver medals and one bronze, after placing second in the epee tests both in pre-cadet and cadet, and in third place in the team event. Names such as Franco Marchetti, Valentina Casanello and sabrist Paulina Guerscovich also are mentioned.
This event will be broadcasted on the FSE YouTube page via streaming, as well as the live results on the Engarde page.
When something is carried in the blood it is very difficult to hide it, and even more so when it is a quality so ingrained that the world can recognize a family group only by it. The Groupierre family is synonymous with fencing around the world and today in this “Behind the Mask”, we will meet one of the youngest talents of this group, Iván Salvador Groupierre Ramiro.
How did Iván Salvador get into the world of fencing? Who inspired you?
The one who inspired me the most was my dad. Because at the time, when I started exploring what
sports I wanted to do, he was already a coach, he had already retired from fencing. I started when I was nine years old and I didn’t like fencing, I tried other sports and I didn’t like them either, it was when I returned to the piste that I ended up falling in love with fencing, it was love at second sight.
Name: Iván Salvador Groupierre Ramiro Club: Centro Asturiano de Buenos Aires.
Age: 16 years. | Date of Birth: 24-02-2008.
Weight: 67 kg. | Height: 1,90 m.
Weapon: Épée. Handedness: right-handed
¿What do you like most about fencing?
It’s the different moments. When I celebrate a touch, when I win, I’m quite competitive so I like the adrenaline of being in the fight, involved in combat, analyzing the different situations, a complicated round and those things that keep my mind focused on what’s happening on the piste.
What is the most difficult thing about being a fencer?
For me, the most difficult and the worst thing in general is having to fight against friends and colleagues in different competitions. More so when you meet them in definitive combats, like in a final for example. I know that these are things that one gets used to as one competes, but personally it is what I like the least.
What are the greatest satisfactions that fencing has given you so far?
Quite a few, actually. In 2022 I recovered from an injury and the results began to come, I was third in the national senior championship (Argentina) and in the South American Championship in Cochabamba (Bolivia). The following year (2023) I won the three national championships: precadets, cadets and youth.
How many hours do you train a day?
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays fencing sessions lasting up to three and a half hours. While Tuesdays and Thursdays I dedicate myself to my physical condition by training for two and a half hours at the gym.
What days do you usually take to rest?
Normally, if there is no competition, I take Saturdays and Sundays off, although occasionally I do a gym class on Saturdays. Now when there is competition my rest day is Friday to compete calmly on the weekend.
How do you usually prepare for a competition? Do you have any routine?
It all depends on the type of competition. It is not the same preparation for a national youth team as for a South American one. For example, now that I will participate on the national seniors we are planning it. Afterwards we will see the South American one and that’s how we go with the competitions. They are different preparations according to the importance of the tournaments.
What kind of music do you like to listen to during training?
I’m not into listening to music in training. I have seen how before competitions many use headphones to listen to music and relax, but the truth is I have never decided to do that and I would prefer not to listen to anything. But after training and being at home I do sit down and listen to music like trap Yankee Do you have any hobbies apart from fencing?
I don’t usually have much time for hobbies because of routines and competitions. Sometimes I go out with friends on the weekends, we play a bit on the PlayStation and in my backyard I usually play soccer. I really like soccer, although I’m pretty bad at it.
Which fencer from the past or present do you admire and why?
I really admire Yannick Borel (France), who has just won a silver medal at the Olympic Games. I’ve been following him since 2018 when my dad got me into fencing and I found out that he was winning world championships and all that. I like the way he fences, the actions he does, the speed and strength he has... he’s a great fencer.
What dreams do you have as an athlete and personally?
More as a general dream would be to win the Olympic Games. I know it’s a lot of work, but I see that there are people my age competing these days and I think that I should be there in Los Angeles 2028, so my biggest dream is to be an Olympic Champion. On a personal level, it is having a long career, having a good job, a house and living a full life and being independent.
What career would you like to study?
I am very hesitant now, because I always had architecture in mind, but I am very hesitant because of the maths aspect, I am not good with numbers. But the topic of house and skyscraper design draws my attention a lot. It would be very risky, but I see myself as an architect.
Could you share with us a funny anecdote, a special moment?
At the South American Championship, we were fighting in a somewhat complicated room, and at one point I don’t know what happened, but suddenly my rival and I fell. I fell, I don’t know how, on a table and everything that was on that table ended up falling on my legs and at the same time, I got tangled up with my rival and all we could do was laugh at the situation.
Any difficult moment you’ve had in your life?
I think that in the last Pan American, the stress before the competition kept me awake. I had a lot of doubts about how I would do and then I didn’t have a very good competition, it was a low point in my career. But then I ended the year in a very good way.
And your happiest moment?
Winning the 2023 Cadet South American Championship. In that same competition I was unable to compete in the pre-cadet category as I lost in the round of 16, but thanks to the support of my teammates, coaches, physiotherapists and others, I came out better and with more confidence in the cadets and I achieved victory.
How do you recover from defeat?
Remaining self-confident, knowing who I am, where I am. Think about what I should do and doing it, because losing one day does not mean that the next day you cannot achieve a victory. What do you think about when you are in combat? It depends on the combat and the situation. I usually start off with a blank mind, but as the assault progresses your mind begins to work, planning strategies, seeing how you can attack, whether to enter or not, watching the opponents’ movements. Everything accumulates or changes depending on the moment of combat.
Who is the coach that has influenced you the most in your career?
I’ve only had one and he’s the best of all and he’s my dad... He supported me a lot in the hard times and in the good times he’s also been with me. He was my coach since I started until today.
What is that father-coach relationship like?
Well, when we are in competition or after we finish, we usually talk a lot about fencing, about what happened and how we can continue working, we watch competitions like the Olympic Games and so on. But at home he is just my dad. Although
in practice or competition it is sometimes difficult for me to see him seriously because I see him as my dad, but then I remember that he is my coach.
The family tradition was started by your grandfather, what is your relationship with him like?
The relationship with him is really good. Whenever he goes to a competition he usually brings me a souvenir, he is always very attentive to the family and I love him a lot.
Who is the toughest opponent you have faced?
Lucio Pérez, I have met him a couple of... couple of times in competition and on both occasions he has easily beaten me.
What advice would you give to new fencers?
The first would be not to give up. It is a sport that you learn over the years, you will not have results at the beginning. The basic thing is to try to learn the basics first, the guards, the defense, the attacks, but for that you need perseverance and never give up.
What is your philosophy of life?
There is a quote from Shaquille O’Neal that I identify with a lot, which talks about pressure. After a bad game, he called his father to tell him that he felt a lot of pressure. The next day, his father took him to a store where there was a poor family and told him: pressure is what they have, they don’t even know what they are going to eat. If you don’t lack anything at home, you don’t have pressure; a bad game or a bad fight can happen to anyone.
How are you preparing for the South American Championship in Rosario?
I try to never make promises to myself about anything, and not to assume that the good things will happen, so as not to reduce the effort, the work, the time, etc. I think that the way to prepare is not to work too hard, to arrive at the competition knowing what you are going to do and not change. I see myself pretty well for this next South American tournament, but my mind is now on the Senior rather than the South American.
Rosario naturally beats to the rhythm of sporting activity. At the same time, it is a city where the rich culture and tourist attraction are intertwined in a vibrant symphony that invites you to explore and enjoy every corner. With the South American Fencing tournament in sight, they are preparing to open their arms and embrace high-level competitors. The competition not only promises to be a celebration of athletes, but also a cultural and educational event that will mark a milestone on the road to Olympism. Visitors will also have an interesting menu of public and private activities to explore while the competition is taking place.
As a highlight, it should be noted that the South American Fencing Championship will be held at the legendary Club Provincial. The competition not only encompasses the result of the effort and
passion of the athletes, but also a new horizon to bring sports closer to Rosario society, the same one that saw the birth of world champions Lionel Messi and Ángel Di María.
Of course, this competition will not be just another one in the organizational calendar at the local level. It will be an extension of a series of great achievements that Rosario has been able to reach in recent years, including the South American Beach Games in 2019 and the III South American Youth Games in 2022, which established a new organizational paradigm in the Southern Cone.
Strategic epicenter
The designation of the Provincial Club was not a coincidence. Being located in an area as historic as it is strategic and accessible, the emblematic
red-and-white institution is part of the architectural and cultural landscape that defines Rosario. It is also true that the city has a diversity of natural areas that stand out for their lively nature.
So much so that the brown Paraná River stands as the mighty ideal backdrop for the celebration of sport and culture. It is clear that Rosario is not just a place for sports.
It is a multi-space that invites its visitors to fully experience and explore it.
The city’s commitment to sports goes far beyond the various tournaments it organizes. Rosario offers not only to its citizens but also to its guests a series of free guided tours.
This represents for hosts and visitors a unique experience of immersing themselves in the rich history and local architecture.
To the list of attractions we must add the walks, which include four historical and architectural routes that go from the Paseo del Siglo to Traces of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, which means that each tour will be a trip to the past and the present. of Rosario.
Other different and well-marked experiences that the city offers are at the iconic “Monumento Nacional a la Bandera” (National Flag Monument) and at Independence Park.
