South Korea claimed gold in the Women's Sabre Team event while Kazakhstan secured the top spot in Men's Epee Team competition on Day 5 of the 26th Asian Senior Fencing Championship 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi on Tuesday, 23 June. The fifth day marked a decisive shift from individual bouts to high-stakes team relay formats, with crucial Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games qualification points on the line.

Women's Sabre Team Final

The Women's Sabre team event delivered a breathless sequence of momentum swings and tactical substitutions. South Korea, spearheaded by individual silver-medallist Choi Sebin, imposed right-of-way dominance from the early knockout rounds all the way to the gold medal bout. Japan, led by individual continental champion Sano Yui, mounted a disciplined tactical resistance through the bracket before meeting South Korea in the final. Rotation after rotation produced high-class exchanges, but it was the Korean squad that ultimately prevailed to claim the gold.

Men's Epee Team Final: Kazakhstan's Historic Win

The full-body target area of Men's Epee produced a slow-burning, agonisingly tense contest. Japan — anchored by individual champion Yamada Masaru and Olympic gold medallist Kano Koki — operated with clinical precision to reach the final. Facing them were the Kazakh fencers, led by the veteran composure of Ruslan Kurbanov, who cut through the bracket with ruthless efficiency. Despite Japan's considerable experience and tactical depth, Kazakhstan emerged victorious after a gruelling contest to claim what is described as a historic gold medal in the discipline.

India's Performance on Day 5

The Indian Women's Sabre team entered the direct elimination grid with a blend of veteran international exposure and emerging domestic talent. C.A. Bhavani Devi anchored the squad with her signature aggressive flèche attacks, generating crucial point swings during her relay legs, while teammates Shreya Gupta, Jefarlin J.S., and Shruti Joshi matched the blade-speed of their opponents in the opening rotations. The team was ultimately eliminated by a heavily favoured East Asian contingent, but their technical cohesion and point aggregation signalled a narrowing gap with the regional elite.

In Men's Epee, Joseph Bennet teamed with Sherjin Rajendran Shanthimol, Aloshious Koovakkal Joshy, and Shaurya Ashwini to navigate a grid dominated by Central Asian and Japanese systems. Sherjin and Joseph anchored the critical middle legs to keep point margins competitive, while Shaurya and Aloshious held their ground in high-pressure defensive standoffs. The podium remained out of reach, but the squad avoided a heavy defeat and, according to team management, established a structural benchmark for future development.

Road to LA 2028

With individual and core team events in these weapons now concluded at the 2026 Asian Senior Fencing Championships, the continental field has been pushed to its limit. For Team India, the collective discipline displayed on Day 5 is expected to inform preparations as the national programme builds toward the LA 2028 Olympic Games. The final high-intensity phases of the tournament are set to follow in the coming days.