Italy’s men’s fencing team achieved a historic milestone at the World Fencing Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, by winning gold just days after Luca Curatoli’s individual bronze. The team, composed of Curatoli, Michele Gallo, Pietro Torre, and Matteo Neri, secured the championship title with a 45–37 victory over Hungary in the final. This triumph marked the sixth medal for Italy at this year’s event.
The Italian squad began their campaign with a confident 45–29 win over Thailand in the preliminary round, before facing a tougher challenge in the round of 16 against Germany, which they narrowly overcame 45–39. In the quarterfinals, the Italians took full advantage of a surprising early exit by the United States, defeating Poland 45–28. The semifinal against Japan proved competitive, but strong performances from Gallo and Curatoli helped Italy build an early lead and maintain it through to a 45–39 win.
The final began with Hungary taking an early advantage. Aron Szilagyi, a legend in the sport, beat Curatoli 5–2, and Krisztian Rabb widened the lead over Neri, leaving Italy trailing 10–4 after the first two bouts. However, Gallo quickly reignited Italy’s chances with a dominant 11–4 bout against Csanad Gemesi, narrowing the gap and ending the first rotation at 15–14 in Italy’s favor.
Hungary responded through Szilagyi once again, regaining the lead at 20–17. But Curatoli countered with a crucial 8–2 run against Nicolas Iliasz, giving Italy a 25–22 lead. Gallo followed by defeating Rabb 5–3, and the second phase concluded with Italy ahead 30–25.
The final and decisive stage began with Pietro Torre holding off Gemesi to extend the lead to 35–29. Then came a critical moment: Gallo delivered a 5–1 break against the iconic Szilagyi, placing Italy on the brink of victory. Luca Curatoli sealed the gold medal with a composed performance against Rabb, closing the match at 45–37.
This win underlines the depth and resilience of Italy’s fencing movement, adding another chapter to the country’s rich sporting legacy.
