🇯🇵 IMPASSABLE JAPAN FOILISTS SECURE SIXTH STRAIGHT ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP GOLD

NEW DELHI, INDIA — 22 JUNE 2026

Japan’s World number four Team Japan continued their absolute, undisputed reign over the women’s team foil discipline on the fourth day of the 2026 Asian Fencing Championships. Competing in New Delhi, the top-seeded Japanese squad executed a flawless technical game plan to stifle an extraordinarily patient challenge from China, grinding out an authoritative 25–18 victory in a tactical masterclass of a gold medal match.

The magnificent victory secures Japan their sixth consecutive continental women’s team foil title, building on a highly successful international season that already features World Cup bronze medals in Busan and Istanbul.

While China claimed their fifth successive Asian silver medal to secure their first international podium of the campaign, World number 12 Korea produced a clinical late-match surge to reclaim the bronze medal they last won in 2024.

Path to the Podium

Team Japan, who lined up with Kikuchi Komaki, Ueno Yuka, Azuma Sera and Tsuji Sumire, received an initial first-round bye before opening their elimination account with a comprehensive 45–23 routing of Kazakhstan.

The Japanese encountered little resistance in their semi-final showdown against Hong Kong. While Hong Kong's Chan Nok Sze Daphne remained on the bench throughout the match, Japan edged a highly competitive opening three legs to lead 14–13 before completely breaking away in the middle section. The Japanese squad constructed a commanding 30–19 advantage after six fights, allowing them the luxury of bringing in Tsuji for Ueno to anchor the final leg and comfortably close out a 45–30 win.

The gold medal match against China was a fascinating exhibition of high-stakes patience and tactical discipline. With Japan's Azuma and China's Song Yue remaining on the bench throughout, the regional heavyweights started incredibly tightly, sitting deadlocked at 6–6 after the opening three legs. The strategic stalemate grew so intense that passivity was officially called in the fifth leg. Ueno finally broke the deadlock in the sixth leg, finding the target to push Japan ahead 14–11. The Japanese athletes managed the high-pressure final third with immense nerve, completely shutting down the Chinese attacks to walk away with a 25–18 victory.

Team China, represented by Fu Yingying, Huang Qianqian, Song Yue and Zhang Siqi, safely secured a proud fifth consecutive silver medal after dominating their half of the draw. Following an opening bye, the World number eight squad routinely dispatched the Philippines 45–21 to set up a semi-final clash with Korea.

With Song and Korea's Lee Sejoo remaining on the bench, China completely broke the match open in the first three legs to build a swift 13–6 lead. The Chinese foilists continued to dominate the distance, widening the gap to 29–14 after six fights. Korea's Sim Soeun mounted a furious lone fightback in the final leg, running out a brilliant 9–2 winner against Fu but the early Chinese cushion proved far too large as China eased home to a 44–31 victory.

Team Korea, fielding a balanced roster of Park Jihee, Mo Byeoli, Lee Sejoo and Sim Soeun, celebrated a welcome return to the continental podium to follow up on two agonizing fourth-place World Cup finishes in Busan and Istanbul earlier in the season. The Koreans launched their campaign with a 45–35 quarter-final victory over Chinese Taipei.

Following their semi-final setback against China, the Korean line-up executed a phenomenal final tier to defeat Hong Kong 38–30 for the bronze medal. With Chan and Lee remaining on the bench, Korea established a quick 15–9 cushion after three legs. Hong Kong fought back tenaciously across the middle three fights to close the deficit to 20–22 but the Korean athletes completely dominated the final third, winning every single leg to comfortably secure the third step of the podium.

Team Hong Kong, consisting of Cheng Hiu Wai Valerie, Chan Nok Sze Daphne, Leung Ya Lei Janelle and Leung Yan Kiu Zareena, had to settle for fourth place. Last year’s bronze medallists put together a strong morning session by downing World number 15 Singapore 45–32 to secure their first top-four finish of the season but they ultimately lacked the late-bout clinical edge required to unlock Japan and Korea.

Full results are here.