Paralympic gold-medallist Dimitri Coutya reclaims Para Fencing World Championships crown as Bath-based squad impress in Iksan
Dimitri Coutya added the Para Fencing World Championships foil title to his Paralympic gold medal during a strong week for the University of Bath-based British Fencing squad in Iksan, South Korea.
Coutya, in his first competition since Paris 2024, fought back from 9-4 down to beat China’s Yanke Feng 15-11 in a rematch of the Paralympic Category B foil final to reclaim the title he last won at the 2017 World Championships.
He also won bronze in the Category B epee, beating France’s Yohan Peter 15-5, and then joined forces with Piers Gilliver, Oliver Lam-Watson and Joshua Waddell to secure silver in the men’s foil team. The same quartet had only been denied a place in the epee team gold-medal match by a 45-44 defeat to Iraq in the semi-finals.
The World Championships, the first major global event of the LA 2028 Paralympic cycle, were an opportunity for established fencers to return to the big stage and emerging talents to gain invaluable experience.
The British squad also included Shah Rashid and James Burke in the men’s events and four-time Paralympian Gemma Collis, Emily Holder, Justine Moore and Team Bath Breakthrough Programme student-athlete Susie Seddon-Cowell in the women’s.
The Team Bath Sports Training Village is home to GB’s Wheelchair Fencing National Training Centre and athletes and coaches on the programme are supported by the UK Sports Institute (UKSI). Visit teambath.com/fencing to find out more.
