Hong Kong, China’s Nga Ting Tong clinched her first ever World Cup gold in the women’s epee category B.

Tong upgraded her bronze from 2023 – the last time she made it onto the podium at this level – executing an impressive comeback against Neutral Para Athlete Aleksandra Ilminskaya.

Ilminskaya was enjoying a four-point lead at 12-8 but Tong meticulously clawed her way back into the match to level the score at 14-14 before going on to win.

Anastaysia Kastiuchkova, also a Neutral Para Athlete, and Ukraine’s Olga Yesina were the bronze medallists.

You can watch the Pisa 2024 World Cup on demand on our live page.

The day of firsts continued in the men’s foil category A.

Türkiye’s Hakan Akkaya slipped past Italian world champion Emanuele Lambertini for a place in the semi-final, dashing the hosts’ hopes of a golden opening to their World Cup.

Akkaya then went on to face Ukraine’s Andrii Demchuk for gold. The Ukrainian is no stranger to the podium himself, having bagged European earlier in the year.

But Akkaya held his nerve and showed his growing confidence in the foil to secure a 15-12 victory, and his first win in the weapon.

Lambertini took bronze, managing some consolation for the Italian contingent. Poland’s Michal Nalewajek joined him in third.

Oleg Naumenko was the third fencer to top his maiden World Cup podium in the men’s foil category B.

Taking on Poland’s Patryk Banach in the final, an athlete competing in his first final, Naumenko emerged the victor with a 15-8 scoreline.

Two experienced finallists rounded off the opening day’s action in the women’s epee category A.

South Korea’s Hyo Kyeong Kwon was fencing fresh from her silver medal in the weapon from the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Great Britain’s Gemma Collis meanwhile is no stranger to a World Cup final.

Kwon’s form had clearly not diminished in the intervening months since the Games and she rode that wave to a 15-5 victory.

Multiple Paralympic medallist, Hong Kong, China’s, Yu Chui Yee and Spain’s Judith Rodriguez shared the third spot on the podium.

The Pisa 2024 wheelchair fencing World Cup continues on Friday with the women’s foil and men’s sabre. Competition runs until Sunday will a full compliment of weapons in the men’s and women’s category A and B.

Sunday will see mixed team events take place in epee foil and sabre in a first for the sport as it continues to stay fresh and relevant.