Siklosi, Moellhausen emerge champions of Qatar Grand Prix Fencing Championship 2023

 Siklosi, Moellhausen emerge champions of Qatar Grand Prix Fencing Championship 2023

Janaury 29, 2023, Doha: After three days of exciting sword crossing, the curtain finally fell on

the Qatar Grand Prix Fencing Championship 2023 at the Aspire Dome in Doha with Hungary's

Gergely Siklosi beating  Belgian Neisser Loyola 15-10 to win the men's category while Brazil's

world No. 36 Nathalie Moellhausen scripted an upset by defeating her higher-ranked opponent,

the 7th-ranked Marie-Florence Candassamy of France, 15-8 to emerge as champion in the

women's category.

The President of the Qatar Fencing Federation (QFF), Abdullah Ali Al-Ghanim, along with the

QFF board of directors and other top dignitaries, attended the final event and the award

ceremony.

En route to the final of the Qatar leg of the one-series, nine-city International Fencing Federation

(FIE)-organized Épée competition, world No. 8 Siklosi defeated Japan's Akira Komata (ranked

27th) in the semi-finals, while No. 14 Loyola got the better of world No. 1 Yannick Borel of

France in what was arguably the most exciting clash of the competition, winning 15-14 to book

his final ticket.

"It has been a wonderful competition, and I am happy that I won in the end. It was a tough

match, and I fought against a worthy opponent. I've enjoyed my stay in Qatar, and I would like to

praise the organizers for the well-organized competition. "I'm delighted that I'm leaving with the

championship medal on my neck," Siklosi said.

In the women's category, Moellhausen trounced Hungary's Eszter Muhari (ranked 24th), while

Candassamy defeated Hong Kong's Man Wai Vivian Kong (the world No. 3) to set up the

exciting final.

"It wasn't an easy victory considering the ranking of my opponent and the good fight she fought,

but I am happy that I won today." I am leaving with much delight after having had a good outing

in Qatar. I hope to continue in this form throughout the season," Moellhausen said after her

victory.

Each of the winners walks away with the $5000 winner's cash prize, besides the championship

medal, while the finalists were rewarded with $3000 each. The semifinalists also got $1500 for

their efforts.

While all eyes were on No. 1-ranked Yannick Borel of France to add the Doha competition

champion's medal to his rich collection, the 34-year-old 2018 individual world champion, who is

also a four-time team world champion and four-time individual European champion, however,

fell short when it mattered most against the 24-year-old Cuban-born Belgian, who relocated to

Belgium when he was 16 after his father was appointed national coach of the Belgian team.

The women's category threw up a lot of surprises, as world No. 1 Choi In-jeong could not make

it out of the round of 64, her first game of the tournament, as all the top 32 fencers got a bye into

the round of 64. The two-time team Olympic silver medalist and three-time team Asian

champion suffered an embarrassing 15-10 defeat at the hands of Switzerland's Angeline Favre

(world No. 40).

Her teammate on the South Korean team, Sera Song (the world No. 2), was also stopped in the

quarterfinals by Candassamy, who recorded a 15-12 victory over the 2022 world champion.

QFF President Al-Maadeed said, "We are happy that everything went well and the competition

ended on a good note. I would like to congratulate the winners on their victory, and I would also

like to extend my appreciation to my team for the successful organization of the competition."

Points collected from the $22,000 total prize money event count in the Olympic qualification

race for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.