Sakurai has landed on many podiums over the years in the epee and foil and has fenced her way to two finals in the epee, finished second both times. The third time was a charm for the 36-year-old as she got past Georgia’s Irma Khetsuriani in the foil category B despite her challenges with equipment. 

The Georgian, who was the fifth seed heading into the final – three places above Sakurai – put up a tough fight and both women had difficult matches in both the table of 8 and semi-finals. 

However Sakurai just had the edge on Saturday afternoon, pushing through to claim the gold. 

“To be honest today was the worst day for me because my chair is broken, my weapon is broken and so I had so many bad surprises,” Sakurai said. “But the result is the best result of my career and I am very happy. To be honest, this half year is very painful for me because I lost in the semi-final in Paris [at the Paralympics] and I was thinking ‘just one point, what should I do? What should I do? And finally I got the gold medal.” 

But Khetsuriani’s silver was her 51st career podium finish at this level in both team and individual events, continuing her record as one of the most decorated Para fencers in the history of the sport. Her 50th came on Thursday (20 February) in the sabre. 

The bronze medals went to Poland’s Sara Rogowska – her first top three finish – and Neutral Para Athlete Aleksandra Iliminskaya.  

Hungary’s young star Anna Nadasdy had only tasted gold as part of a team in foil. That all changed on Saturday as the 19-year-old won her first individual gold in the women’s foil category A. 

What made her win even sweeter was how convincing it was against Georgia’s Gvantsa Zadishvili. Nadasdy’s explosive power and precision led to a 15-4 victory. 

As a silver medallist from the sabre, Zadishvili however should not be disappointed with her performance in Sao Paulo which also represents her first medal in foil. 

Her teammate Nina Tibilashvili stood alongside her on the podium with bronze. Thailand’s Thiti Pengprasittipong was the other bronze medallist, taking her maiden podium. 

In the men’s Italy’s Michele Massa completed a 100 per cent winning record from this World Cup in the men’s epee category B. 

“I think this was my competition,” Massa said. “I never won a medal in the World Cup. Maybe it’s my day and I am very happy today. If I want to compete with other parts of the World and I have to do very well in this type of competition.” 

“In this competition I learned I have to stay happy. I think my mind and my mood is better and I am happy when I am fencing.” 

Competing for gold against one of the sport’s most established fencers, the USA’s Scott Rodgers, Massa was still unstoppable. 

Rodgers’ silver is his first World Cup medal since 2008, the year he initially retired. He returned to the pistes in 2022 after Los Angeles was awarded the 2024 Paralympic Games. 

Brazil were able to delight in the latest podium for their talisman, Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Jovane Guissone, who finished with his latest World Cup bronze.  

Neutral Para Athlete Andrei Pranevich secured the other bronze. 

The men’s epee category A saw an all-Thai face off between Waroot Kaveekat and Boonsiri Sanitmuanwai. 

Sanitmuanwai was competing in his second final in Sao Paulo, following on from the foil. He also claimed bronze in the sabre. 

But Kaveekat had a surprise for his compatriot and went out hard for his own first taste of World Cup glory, leaving him behind with a 15-6 score. 

Twenty-one-year-old German Clemens Cursiefen rounded off a great competition, taking bronze to follow on from the same result in the foil. Japan’s Naoki Yasu matched him with the other bronze. 

The Sao Paulo 2025 Para Fencing World Cup took place between 20-22 February. 

Full results, as well as video playback, are available at the World Para Fencing website. 

Para fencers do not have long to wait until the next World Cup which takes place in Pisa, Italy, from 13-16 March. The main event in 2025 is the Para Fencing World Championships in Iksan, South Korea, from 2-7 September