Historical victory! Kazakhstan wins fencing world championship for the first time

In the final of the tournament held in Hong Kong, China, the Kazakh team faced off against Ukraine. A notable highlight of the final was the presence of Kazakhstan's head coach, Ukrainian specialist Oleksandr Horbachuk.

Kazakhstan's final roster included Vadim Sharlaimov, Yerlik Sertay, Kirill Prokhorov, and Ruslan Kurbanov.

Kazakhstan vs. Ukraine World Championship Final: Match Play-by-Play

The opponents spent the opening bouts testing one another, with both teams even receiving penalties for passivity. However, after the first third of the match, Kazakhstan established a slight two-point lead.

Midway through the duel, Vadim Sharlaimov sustained a minor leg injury and took a medical timeout. The coach opted not to substitute the fencer, and after the break, Sharlaimov managed an impressive +4 scoring run.

The Ukrainians managed to close the gap to within two touches heading into the final bouts.

Likely due to his earlier injury, Sharlaimov was unable to compete in his final bout. He was replaced by Ruslan Kurbanov, the country’s only individual World Championship medalist.

Kazakhstan held a five-touch lead going into the closing showdown, with 19-year-old Kirill Prokhorov taking to the piste. He successfully weathered the pressure to secure the victory.

Final score: 45-40 in favor of Kazakhstan.

Heading into the tournament, the Kazakh national team was ranked 5th in the world, making this victory both unexpected and sensational.

The bronze medal was claimed by Egypt in a hard-fought contest; Kazakhstan had defeated the Egyptian side in the semifinals.

Kazakhstan's Path to Gold at the 2026 World Championships

At the World Championships in Hong Kong, the Kazakh squad defeated opponents from Finland, Uzbekistan, Denmark, and Egypt.

The most grueling encounter came against Uzbekistan, where the team managed to erase a deficit and clinch a narrow one-touch victory.

Previously, the national team's best result at the Fencing World Championships was a bronze medal won in Georgia last year.

Following the historic win, team leader Ruslan Kurbanov spoke with Tengri Sport about the development of the sport in Kazakhstan.

Notably, at the Paris Olympics, Kazakhstan fell to Hungary in the quarterfinals. Fencing will remain on the program for the next Olympic Games.