(Tokoname [Japan] = Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Song-ah = The Korean women's fencing saber team, led by players in their mid-20s who won a silver medal in the team event at the Paris Olympics two years ago, succeeded in reclaiming the top spot in the team event at the Asian Games, revealing its hopes for the Los Angeles (LA) Olympics two years later.
The women's saber team, consisting of Jeon Ha-young (25, Seoul Metropolitan City Hall), Kim Jeong-mi (26), Seo Ji-yeon (33, Ansan City Hall), and Choi Se-bin (26, Daejeon Metropolitan City Hall), won the championship by defeating Japan 45-31 in the final of the team event held at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, Japan on the 27th.
It is a gold medal that marks the return to the top eight years after the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games and marks the beginning of a new era.
Korea, which had been runners-up to China three times in a row in the women's saber team event held at the Asian Games since 2002, entered its golden era by defeating China in Incheon and Jakarta in 2014 and achieving two consecutive wins.
At that time, the national team had an outstanding star named Kim Ji-yeon.
Kim Ji-yeon, who became the first Korean female fencer to win a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, did not win a gold medal in the individual event at the Asian Games, but took the lead in winning two consecutive team events. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, he also led the team to the first ever team bronze medal.
After Kim Ji-yeon put down the Taegeuk mark in 2023, Yoon Ji-soo established herself as a new ace with a gold medal in the individual event at the Hangzhou Asian Games that year, and Korea, with Ji-soo Yoon at the center, advanced to the finals and won a silver medal for the first time in the women's saber team event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
After the Paris Olympics, Yoon Ji-soo ended her career as a player, and the women's saber team entered a generational change centered on players born in the 2000s.
In the 2024-2025 season international competition that immediately followed, Jeon Ha-young achieved remarkable results and rose to No. 1 in the world rankings, becoming the team's 'ace'.
Jeon Ha-young faltered after being shockingly eliminated in the quarterfinals in her first Asian Games individual event three days ago, but made a comeback by successfully completing her mission as the last runner in the team event.
Jeon Ha-young, who is 175cm tall and has outstanding power, is expected to continue to play a leading role for Korea on the international stage.
Choi Se-bin, who caused a stir in the individual competition at the Paris Olympics by defeating Japan's Misaki Emura, who was ranked number one in the world at the time, advanced to the semifinals and finished fourth, is also over 170cm tall.
Choi Se-bin, who was originally right-handed but was so passionate about fencing that she switched to left-handed to give herself an advantage in fencing, was known for her speed and steps, and for having a particularly strong mentality.
It was expected that she would form a 'two-top team' with Jeon Ha-young, but due to injury last season, she was unable to participate in this tournament's individual event. She played her part in the team event and showed that she is healthy, so it is expected that she will play a key role again in the future.
Seo Ji-yeon, who along with Kim Ji-yeon and Yoon Ji-soo was a bronze medalist in the team event at the Tokyo Olympics, is the only member of the women's saber team in her 30s.
In the 7th round of the final match against Japan, she collided with Yui Sano and had to be replaced midway through, but she helped her team through skillful and stable game management at every critical point in the process of reaching the championship.
Kim Jeong-mi briefly appeared in the finals after Seo Ji-yeon's injury, but she also had enough potential to win the International Grand Prix competition and is a player who can lead the future of women's sabers along with Jeon Ha-young and Choi Se-bin.
The women's saber team, which was disappointed with a bronze medal after being defeated by Japan in the team semifinals at the Hangzhou Asian Games three years ago, defeated Japan in the finals at both the Asian Championships in June and this tournament, declaring itself the best in Asia.
With the same team members participating in both the Asian Championships and this tournament, the women's saber team is now able to look at a level one level higher in LA than in Paris.
