The blue saber has experienced a complicated year, but in the end she managed to achieve a double qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The last to gain the Olympic pass were the men, who have experienced a very up-and-down season and who are presenting themselves at this summer’s major events with the aim of trying to amaze. The first objective will be the European Championships next week, with the Azzurri wanting to be protagonists in both the individual and team competitions.
The spearheads are certainly Luigi Samele and Luca Curatoli, perhaps not the very first favourites, but certainly two expert athletes who have everything to compete for a medal, even of the most precious metal. Also watch out for a rampant Michele Gallo and Pietro Torre will also try to amaze.
The men’s saber event was an individual event with many candidates at the top step. The reigning champion is the Georgian Sandro Bazadze, who presents himself at the starting line as number one in the world ranking. Nine years have passed since the Hungarian’s last gold Aron Szilagyi, who aims to return to the continental throne before going after the fourth consecutive Olympic title in Paris.
Bazadze and Szilagyi are the two big names, but among the favorites there are the French Sebastien Patrice, Bolade Apithy and Maxime Pianfetti, the Hungarian Andras Szatmari and the German Matyas Szabo. A really close fight to get the European gold around our necks.
In the team event, Hungary and France start as the underdogs, but Italy and Germany want to try to break the bank. The Italian quartet has struggled a lot in recent months, but a prestigious result at the European Championships can really be the best starting point for Paris 2024.
