Martina Batini Takes Bronze in Foil – Italy’s First Medal! Michele Gallo Just Off Podium in Sabre
Martina Batini’s Bronze Marks Italy’s First Medal at Genoa 2025 European Fencing Championships. On the opening day of the continental event in Liguria, the podium came from women’s foil, with the Tuscan Carabinieri officer taking third place, while Michele Gallo came closest to the medal zone among the Azzurri in men’s sabre, finishing 6th.
On a Genoese Saturday highlighted by a spectacular opening ceremony, Martina Batini’s journey (seeded 14th after pools) began with a 15-7 victory over Croatia’s Blazic in the round of 32. Fighting hard, the Italian foilist also prevailed 15-13 against Ukraine’s Poloziuk in the round of 16, securing her medal with a 15-7 quarterfinal win against Romania’s Candescu. In the semifinal against Britain’s Carolina Stutchbury, the Pisa-based Carabinieri officer erased a six-point deficit before ultimately falling 15-12. This defeat doesn’t diminish Batini’s third individual European Championship medal – the mother-champion had won gold in 2023 at Plovdiv, a full eleven years after her first continental podium (silver at Strasbourg 2014).
“I’m happy with this bronze, though I regret not achieving more before this wonderful, passionate crowd,” said Martina Batini. “My teammates who missed the podium today will surely be extra motivated for the team event, where we’ll give everything to achieve our best.”
The other three Italian women exited in the round of 16: Anna Cristino finished 9th (after an excellent pool phase where she was seeded 2nd), defeating Croatia’s Vlasic 15-7 before losing 15-13 to Stutchbury. Defending champion Arianna Errigo placed 13th: after beating Ukraine’s Petrova 15-7, the Olympic champion fell to Greece’s Chaldaiou 15-13. Current World Champion Alice Volpi took 14th: having defeated Poland’s Jelinska 15-11, she lost 15-11 to France’s Patru. The event was won by France’s Lacheray.
Michele Gallo’s 6th place was Italy’s best result in men’s individual sabre, where 21-year-old Frenchman Remi Garrigue took gold against Hungary’s three-time Olympic champion Aron Szilagyi. The Salerno-born Carabinieri officer and defending champion reached the top 8 after two hard-fought 15-13 wins against Turkey’s Yaman and neutral athlete Graudyn. Gallo’s run ended in the quarterfinals against France’s Jean Philippe Patrice, whose 15-9 victory left the Italian just off the podium.
In the previous round, Luca Curatoli and Dario Cavaliere had been eliminated, placing 10th and 11th respectively. After a photo-finish 15-14 win against Turkey’s Yildrim, Curatoli lost 15-13 to Jean Philippe Patrice. Cavaliere suffered similar fate – having beaten neutral athlete Kisel 15-12, he fell 15-14 to Romania’s Nitu after a disputed final touch. Pietro Torre exited in the first round, placing 40th after a 15-13 loss to France’s Pianfetti.
Tomorrow, on the second day of the Genoa 2025 European Fencing Championships, the individual men’s épée and women’s sabre events will take place. Competing for Italy: épéeists Davide Di Veroli, Matteo Galassi, Andrea Santarelli and Valerio Cuomo; and sabreuses Michela Battiston, Chiara Mormile, Manuela Spica and Mariella Viale. Finals will be broadcast live from 6 PM on RAI 2 and Sky Sport.
GENOA 2025 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMEN’S FOIL – Genoa, 14 June 2025
Standings (66): 1. Eva Lacheray (Fra), 2. Carolina Stutchbury (Gbr), 3. Martina Batini (ITA), 3. Flora Pasztor (Hun)
Other Italians: 9. Anna Cristino, 13. Arianna Errigo, 14. Alice Volpi
Final
Lacheray (Fra) b. Stutchbury (Gbr) 15-13
Semifinals
Lacheray (Fra) b. Pasztor (Hun) 15-7
Stutchbury (Gbr) b. Batini (ITA) 15-12
Quarterfinals
Batini (ITA) b. Candescu (Rou) 15-7
Round of 16
Batini (ITA) b. Poloziuk (Ukr) 15-13
Patru (Fra) b. Volpi (ITA) 15-11
Chaldaiou (Gre) b. Errigo (ITA) 15-11
Stutchbury (Gbr) b. Cristino (ITA) 15-13
Round of 32
Cristino (ITA) – Blazic (Cro) 15-7
Errigo (ITA) b. Petrova (Ukr) 15-7
Volpi (ITA) b. Jelinska (Pol) 15-11
Batini (ITA) b. Kleibrink (Ger) 15-9
Pool Phase
Anna Cristino: six wins, no losses (2nd after pools)
Arianna Errigo: five wins, one loss (7th after pools)
Alice Volpi: five wins, one loss (8th after pools)
Martina Batini: four wins, one loss (14th after pools)
GENOA 2025 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN’S SABRE – Genoa, 14 June 2025
Standings (67): 1. Remi Garrigue (Fra), 2. Aron Szilagyi (Hun), 3. Jean-Philippe Patrice (Fra), 3. Frederic Kindler (Ger).
Italians: 6. Michele Gallo, 10. Luca Curatoli, 11. Dario Cavaliere, 40. Pietro Torre
Final
Garrigue (Fra) b. Szilagyi (Hun) 15-11
Semifinals
Garrigue (Fra) b. Kindler (Ger) 15-11
Szilagyi (Hun) b. Patrice JP (Fra) 15-9
Quarterfinals
Patrice JP (Fra) b. Gallo (ITA) 15-9
Round of 16
Gallo (ITA) b. Graudyn (Ain) 15-13
Nitu (Rou) b. Cavaliere (ITA) 15-14
Patrice JP (Fra) b. Curatoli (ITA) 15-13
Round of 32
Cavaliere (ITA) b. Kisel (Ain) 15-12
Gallo (ITA) b. Yaman (Tur) 15-13
Curatoli (ITA) b. Yildrim (Tur) 15-14
Round of 64
Pianfetti (Fra) b. Torre (ITA) 15-13
Pool Phase
Luca Curatoli: six wins, no losses (2nd after pools)
Dario Cavaliere: five wins, one loss (5th after pools)
Michele Gallo: five wins, one loss (10th after pools)
Pietro Torre: three wins, three losses (36th after pools)
photo credit BIZZI/Federscherma
Photo credit: BIZZI/Federscherma
