Haryana fencers give Maharashtra a run for their money with 2 golds and silver

by Kheltoday · May 15, 2025

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Khel Today Bureau

Rajgir: On the penultimate day of the fencing competition, Haryana dominated the fencing events at the Rajgir’s indoor complex on Wednesday, claiming gold medals in both the men’s foil team and the women’s saber team events. Haryana also gave strong competition to Maharashtra in the men’s Epée team event, ultimately settling for silver.

So far nine fencing golds have been decided. Haryana have four and Maharashtra two. Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh and Rajasthan have won a gold each. Most fencers train at Sports Authority of India centres.

The fencing competition showcased exceptional skills and sportsmanship, captivating spectators with impressive performances and nail-biting finishes. According to Ajinkya Dhundhare, coach of the Maharashtra Men’s Épée team, the match against Haryana was intense, particularly between Saiprasad Jangawad (Maharashtra) and Prince Hooda (Haryana).

“The Men’s Épée final was not just between Haryana and Maharashtra but between Saiprasad and Hooda, who fenced neck-and-neck through the ninth bout, ultimately resulting in a win for Maharashtra,” he said.

Dhundhare attributed the team’s success to Saiprasad’s training at NCOE Aurangabad, saying, “Out of our team of four boys, only Saiprasad is currently practicing in NCOE Aurangabad, which is clearly reflected in his performance today. I’m happy that our boys secured the gold today.”

Narendra Singh, head coach of Haryana’s fencing teams, attributed his team’s success to thorough preparation and consistent training, particularly among the girls. “We came prepared for everything, and our teams played exceptionally well in all three events,” he said.

Although Haryana aimed for triple gold, Singh was proud of his team’s performance, saying, “We still managed to secure two golds and one silver in today’s events. I’m super proud of my saber girls, épée boys, and foil boys, and I’m happy with their performance today.”

Singh also highlighted the role of NCOE athletes in Haryana’s success, mentioning that two of the four girls in the Women’s Saber team trained at NCOE Patiala and Aurangabad.

Khushboo, a member of the gold-winning Women’s Saber team, expressed gratitude toward her coach, saying, “All of us are grateful for our coach, who guided us and unlocked our potential. Our whole team is thankful for his guidance.”

RESULTS

Men’s Épée team event:

Semifinals:

Haryana beat Gujarat 45-24

Maharashtra beat Manipur 42-41

Final:

Maharashtra beat Haryana 45-43

Men’s Foil team event:

Semifinals:

Haryana beat Rajasthan 45-24

Manipur beat Maharashtra 45-40

Final: