🇯🇵 KANO KOKI REIGNS IN MEDELLIN WITH THRILLING GRAND PRIX TRIUMPH
Updated: Aug 6
MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA — 10 MAY 2026
World number 1 and reigning World and Olympic Champion Kano Koki (JPN) reasserted his global supremacy on the strip, capturing the gold medal at the third and final Épée Grand Prix of the season in Medellin. After fighting through a highly decorated field, the Japanese maestro locked down a decisive 15–9 victory over Italy’s Matteo Galassi in the final to claim his second career Grand Prix title, matching his 2024 victory in nearby Cali.
The gold represents a massive statement performance for Kano, marking his first individual podium appearance of the 2025–26 campaign following three consecutive quarter-final heartbreaks.
Galassi (ITA), the world number 5 and reigning European silver medallist, took home the silver to secure his third podium of a standout season. The bronze medals were awarded to France’s ultimate breakthrough fencer Paul Fortin and Italy's rising star Simone Mencarelli.
Path to the Podium
Kano Koki was clinical all day, showcasing the flawless defensive counter-attacks that have defined his championship career. His path to the final required survival in consecutive razor-thin direct elimination matches. In the round of 16, Kano out-dueled the USA's 2024 Pan American Champion Samuel Imrek 15–14, before fighting past the in-form Conrad Kongstad (DEN) 15–13 in the quarter-finals. After fending off Fortin 15–13 in the semi-finals, Kano dictated the pace of the final from the opening touch to cruise to gold.
Matteo Galassi earned his spot in the final with an exceptionally athletic performance through a treacherous French gauntlet. The Italian opened his day by eliminating former European Champion Luidgi Midelton (FRA) 15–13, followed by direct elimination victories over Alexandre Billa (FRA) and Aymerick Gally (FRA). In the quarter-finals, Galassi dismantled world number 6 Tristan Tulen (NED) 15–10, before out-fencing his domestic teammate Mencarelli 15–11 in the semi-finals.
Paul Fortin (World number 183) manufactured the definitive fairytale run of the tournament to claim his first-ever senior career international medal. The 23-year-old French underdog set the arena alight in the round of 64, engineering a massive "sudden death" 15–14 upset over world number 7 and reigning European Champion Roman Svichkar (UKR). Fortin proved his giant-killing form was no fluke, winning another one-touch thriller over Italy's Edoardo Mastromarino before comfortably defeating 2023 World Champion Mate Koch (HUN) 15–10 in the quarter-finals to secure a historic bronze.
Simone Mencarelli (World number 30) locked down his second Grand Prix bronze medal of a phenomenal breakthrough campaign, adding to his silver from the Doha Grand Prix. Mencarelli illustrated elite tactical flexibility throughout his matches, opening his day with a tense 15–14 victory over Japan’s Asian Championship medallist Komata Akira. He then survived a nail-biting 14–13 round of 16 chess match against Canada's Ruibo Xiao before dominating Ukraine's Nikita Koshman 15–7 in the quarter-finals.
