Kazakh fencers earn full set of medals at Asian U23 Championship

Kazakhstan’s fencers won medals of all three colors Thursday at the Asian U23 Fencing Championships in Bahrain. Épée fencer Kirill Prokhodov claimed gold, sabre fencer Kaisha Zhanybek took silver, and her teammate Dilyara Issabekova earned bronze.

Prokhodov claims épée gold

This season, 19-year-old Prokhodov has won team gold at the World Championships, the Asian Games, the senior Asian Championships and a World Cup event. He also finished second in the individual competition at the Asian Games.

After winning four of his five pool bouts, Prokhodov advanced to the elimination rounds. He defeated Ka Wing Sung of Macau, 15-8, and Daniil Lepikhov of Kyrgyzstan, 15-14, before facing fellow Kazakhstani fencer Georgiy Tinnikov, whom he beat 15-9.

Prokhodov then defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Barsbek Raiymbekov, 15-10, in the semifinals. In the final, he faced Wong Pak Yiu of Hong Kong and won 15-12 to secure the gold medal.

Zhanybek takes silver, Issabekova wins bronze

In the women’s sabre competition, Zhanybek defeated Shruti Joshi of India, 15-9, and Summer Fay Sit of Hong Kong, 15-11, to reach the final. She then lost 15-8 to Sit’s sister, Summer Jane Sit, and took silver.

Issabekova also fell to the eventual champion, losing 15-14 to Summer Jane Sit in the semifinals to claim bronze.

Another Kazakhstani sabre fencer, Adema Serikbay, beat compatriot Polina Ko, 15-14, in the first elimination round before losing 15-3 to Summer Fay Sit.

The Asian U23 Fencing Championships are being held in Manama, Bahrain, and run through Nov. 2. Kazakhstani athletes are competing in all three weapons: épée, sabre and foil.