Joana Ilieva Wins Bronze at World Cup Tournament

Published on 14 January 2025

Joana Ilieva, Bulgaria's top saber fencer and a graduate of the National Sports Academy, won a bronze medal at the Grand Prix of Tunisia, part of the World Cup series. The championship brought together the best in women's fencing, with 139 competitors from 25 countries participating.

Joana Ilieva entered the competition on the second day due to her high ranking in the World Cup standings. In the first elimination round, she defeated Lola Posik from the USA with a score of 15:3. In the next match, the Bulgarian prevailed over Xuyi Rao from China with 15:8. In the bout for a place among the top eight, Ilieva convincingly defeated Luca Sczus from Hungary with 15:8. In the quarterfinals, our saber fencer faced Malina Vongsavady from France, winning 15:9 and securing a spot on the podium. In the semifinal, Ilieva lost to Michela Battiston from Italy with a score of 7:15, earning a bronze medal.

Demonstrating her exceptional skill, Joana Ilieva once again proved her place among the global elite in fencing. She successfully balances her career as a professional athlete with her studies in the master's program "Sport for High Achievement" at the National Sports Academy "Vasil Levski."

Photo: Bulgarian Fencing Federation