China’s women’s saber fencing team has sliced through the competition at the FIE World Cup in Heraklion, Greece, snagging their first team gold since 2011! 🎉 The squad, led by 26-year-old Fu Ying and rising Gen-Z stars Rao Xueyi, Zhang Xinyi, and Wei Jiayi, proved youth is no barrier to glory.
🔥 Nail-Biter Final Against France
After breezing past Italy and edging out Paris 2024 Olympic champs Ukraine and silver medalists the Republic of Korea (ROK), the team faced France in a heart-stopping final. Trailing by one point in the last bout, 20-year-old Rao Xueyi channeled her inner action hero🦸♀️, scoring four clutch points for a 45-42 victory. 💨
🌟 Stars on the Rise
“We fought like family today,” said Rao, who also bagged Junior World Cup gold earlier this year. Veteran Fu Ying added: “This medal isn’t just ours – it’s for everyone who believed in us.” The team’s comeback aligns with French coach Cyril Verbrackel’s strategies, fresh from his Tokyo 2021 Olympic silver win. 🌍
With three team members born post-2000 and a new coaching vision, China’s saber squad is clearly ready to duel its way into the spotlight. 👑
