Italy has just won the medal table at the European Fencing Championships for the third consecutive edition. The women’s foil was once again the protagonist weapon for the blue colors with a double gold between the individual (Arianna Errigo) and the team. Foil is truly an excellence not only of fencing, but of the entire Italian sport, with the Italian school being absolutely among the best in the world and capable season after season of finding incredible replacement. Among the new generations who are ready to light up the scene there is definitely Irene Bertini.
The identity card shows 19 years for the girl who grew up at Pisascherma. Same region and same city as a great protagonist of the Italian foil of the last ten years as Martina Batini. Irene certainly hopes to follow the career of her fellow citizen, who won Olympic, World and European medals.
At youth level the results so far have been truly excellent. In 2022, silver at the European Youth and Cadet Championships in Novi Sadlosing in the final to the British Stutchbury, who just took home the bronze in Basel, losing the semi-final against Arianna Errigo 15-14. This year then another individual silver but at the Youth and Cadet World Championships in Riyadh, losing to the Chinese Guo only at the last thrust.
The world title, however, arrived a few days later with the team. Bertini was part of the quartet that climbed to the top step of the podium together with her companions Pinna, Molinari and Collini. Her results were exceptional and also certified by her second place in the world ranking just behind her compatriot Vittoria Pinna and ahead of the other Italian Matilde Molinari.
After the results obtained in Riyadh, Stefano Cerioni was also called up upstairs. In fact, the Tuscan took part in the Shanghai Grand Prix, also managing to qualify for the main draw, where she lost in the first round in the blue derby against Aurora Grandis (15-13). A first taste of something that will become a habit perhaps as early as next season, for yet another talent of the wonderful Italian foil.
