Italian
Noalese Martina Favaretto wins the gold medal at the Foil World Championships, defeating Arianna Errigo in the final 15-7
HONG KONG – Finally, the first gold medal for Italy arrives at the 2026 World Fencing Championships in Hong Kong. And it does so in the most exciting way possible. An all-Italian final in the women’s foil. The young promise (who is now a certainty) against the legendary captain champion of everything.
The athlete from Noale, Martina Favaretto, finally achieves the feat of winning her first individual world gold, after two bronzes in Milano 2023 and Tbilisi 2025. She does this after an incredible day, ending beautifully among the tears and embraces of her opponent, the thirty-eight-year-old Arianna Errigo, who steps onto the world podium for the twenty-fourth time (eleventh individual).
The blue medals rise to five already won in three days: 4 silvers and one gold that put us at the top of the medal table, with the certainty of two more medals from the women’s sabre team and the men’s foil team already in the finals today at 1 PM and 2 PM (live on raisport and Eurosport).
Favaretto World Champion
It could only be a heavy medal, the first individual gold of Martina Favaretto. A prodigy, who has won so much despite being only 24 years old, but little on an individual level compared to her remarkable talent. And it is she who brings Italy the first gold of this edition of the World Championships, but above all the 125th gold medal in the history of the World Championships exactly a century after the first victory of Giorgio Chiavacci (men’s foil) in Budapest in 1926. A total of 98 in women’s foil. Chilling numbers.
The young Venetian had started off in a fury since the morning: 15-5 against the British Tsang, 15-4 against the Russian Mamedova. In the round of 16, another 15-4 this time against the Canadian Guo. In the quarter-finals, another Canadian, Nadia Hayes, defeated 15-3. Then the real battle in the semi-finals against the Japanese Yuka Ueno, ending 14-11.
Finally the final match, against her mentor, companion of a thousand ventures and team medals. Her captain Arianna Errigo. The young woman from Noale immediately goes on the attack, closing the first round at 15-7. And from there begins the liberating tears and the beautiful embrace between the two. Almost a passing of the torch, even though Errigo’s story certainly doesn’t end here.
In the post-match interview, Favaretto said, still in tears: “Always believe in your dreams (credete sempre nei vostri sogni)” and that’s what he did. One dream has been realized, the road is long, but there are many others waiting.
Silver for the eternal Errigo
It has been 17 years since that first world podium in Antalya 2009. But Arianna Errigo is still there, fighting until the last moment to win yet another coveted medal. And she does it for the twenty-fourth time, eleventh individually, just two podiums away from the all-time record set by Her Majesty Valentina Vezzali.
All of this in front of her two twins and the Master and husband Luca Simoncelli. Chilling just to think about it.
The thirty-eight-year-old from Lombardy starts off strong by defeating the athlete from Macau 15-9 Ku, then overcoming the Chinese Fu 15-10. Next was the turn of the Korean Park, whom she beat 15-6, leading to the quarter-finals in the first blue derby against Anna Cristino, which she won 15-7. In the semi-finals, the captain dominates the Ukrainian Alina Poloziuk 15-7 and finally reaches the historic final.
2026 World Championships in Women’s Individual Foil | Hong Kong, July 27
Here are the results
Ranking (132): 1. Martina Favaretto (ITA), 2. Arianna Errigo (ITA), 3. Yuka Ueno (Jpn), 3. Alina Poloziuk (Ukr)
The other Italians: 5. Martina Batini, 6. Anna Cristino
2026 World Fencing Championships Men’s Individual Sabre | Hong Kong, July 27
Here are the results
Ranking (165): 1. Pavel Graudyn (Rus), 2. Gyeongdong Do (Kor), 3. Radu Nitu (Rou), 3. Mohamed Amer (Egy)
The Italians: 28. Michele Gallo, 39. Pietro Torre, 42. Cosimo Bertini, 49. Matteo Neri
2026 World Championships | Hong Kong, July 22-30
PROGRAM, AZZURRI AND TV SCHEDULE IN ITALY
Saturday, July 25, 2026
Men’s Individual Foil (2. Filippo Macchi, 6. Tommaso Marini, 10. Guillaume Bianchi, 34. Tommaso Martini)
Women’s Individual Epee (2. Giulia Rizzi, 5. Alberta Santuccio, 12. Gaia Caforio, 36. Rossella Fiamingo)
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Women’s Individual Sabre (11. Michela Battiston, 26. Mariella Viale, 60. Manuela Spica, 68. Claudia Rotili)
Men’s Individual Foil (2. Davide Di Veroli, 10. Simone Mencarelli, 17. Matteo Galassi, 105. Andrea Santarelli)
Monday, July 27, 2026
Women’s Individual Foil (1. Martina Favaretto, 2. Arianna Errigo, 5. Martina Batini, 6. Anna Cristino)
Men’s Individual Sabre (28. Michele Gallo, 39. Pietro Torre, 42. Cosimo Bertini, 49. Matteo Neri)
Tuesday, July 28, 2026 (live TV: RAI Sport and Eurosport from 11:00 AM)
Men’s Foil Team | Main draw and final stages (ITALY – Guillaume Bianchi, Filippo Macchi, Tommaso Martini, Tommaso Marini)
Women’s Epee Team | Main draw and final stages (ITALY – Alberta Santuccio, Giulia Rizzi, Rossella Fiamingo, Gaia Caforio)
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 (live TV: RAI Sport and Eurosport from 10:30 AM)
Women’s Team Sabre | Main draw and final stages (ITALY – Michela Battiston, Mariella Viale, Manuela Spica, Claudia Rotili)
Men’s Team Foil | Main draw and final stages (ITALY – Matteo Galassi, Simone Mencarelli, Davide Di Veroli, Andrea Santarelli)
Thursday, July 30, 2026 (live TV: RAI Sport and Eurosport from 9:00 AM)
Women’s Foil Team | Main draw and final stages (ITALY – Martina Batini, Martina Favaretto, Arianna Errigo, Anna Cristino)
Men’s Sabre Team | Main draw and final stages (ITALY – Michele Gallo, Pietro Torre, Matteo Neri, Cosimo Bertini)
Photo Credits: Augusto Bizzi/Federscherma.it
