Women's Sabre World Cup: National team makes it to the quarter-finals in Sint-Niklaas and qualifies for the Olympic Games

Italian fencing wins another spot at Paris 2024.

With both the Italian foil and epee teams already qualified for the Olympic Games, it was the turn of the women's sabre national team to reach the goal in the last Olympic Qualification stage of the World Cup.

On the piste in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, Michela Battiston, Martina Criscio, Chiara Mormile and Irene Vecchi (photo Federscherma) beat Greece 45-32, then were defeated 45-41 by Hungary in the quarter-finals. Ukraine's simultaneous victory over the United States in the same round sealed the outcome: Italy go to the Olympics.

The team's qualification allowed coach Nicola Zanotti to field three athletes in the individual Olympic competition.

At this point, only one team is missing for a clean sweep: next weekend in Budapest, the men's national sabre team will compete for the same goal. If the outcome is favourable, the Italian team will join all fencing teams in Paris.