🇮🇹 MACCHI MANIFESTS MASTERCLASS IN ISTANBUL TO CLAIM FIRST WORLD CUP TITLE
Updated: Aug 6
ISTANBUL, TÜRKIYE — 2 MAY 2026
Paris 2024 Olympic silver medallist Filippo Macchi (ITA) broke through in spectacular fashion to capture his first-ever Senior World Cup title at the Istanbul Men’s Foil World Cup. The World number 15 capped a brilliant individual campaign in the final team-cycle event of the season, brushing aside two quarter-final heartbreaks from Fukuoka and Paris to dominate the piste in Türkiye, defeating tournament underdog Egor Barannikov 15–8 in the final.
Macchi's golden run headlined an incredibly dominant weekend for Italian foil fencing, with Italy occupying three of the four spots on the final podium.
Barannikov (AIN), the World number 90, secured a milestone silver medal to record his first career senior international podium. The bronze medals were claimed by Italy's former World Champion Tommaso Marini and rising star Giuseppe Franzoni.
Path to the Podium
Filippo Macchi (World number 15) was in irresistible form, systematically dismantling a draw packed with major title contenders. He opened his direct elimination account with a clinical 15–8 win over Japan's Matsuyama Kyosuke before knocking out American veteran Miles Chamley-Watson. Macchi blew the tournament wide open in the round of 16 by out-pointing World number 1 Choi Chun Yin Ryan 15–11. From the quarter-finals onwards, he was completely untouchable, shipping just seven touches across a 15–3 quarter-final win over Marcello Olivares and a 15–4 semi-final demolition of Marini before sealing gold.
Egor Barannikov (World number 90) enjoyed a sensational breakthrough run to the silver medal. The former Junior World Cup silver medallist displayed exceptional technical growth, dropping France's Alexandre Sido 15–3 in the round of 16 before engineering a massive 15–13 quarter-final upset over World number 3 Kirill Borodachev (AIN). A gritty 15–12 semi-final victory over Franzoni secured his historic place in the final.
Giuseppe Franzoni (World number 166) provided the definitive feel-good story for the Italian contingent, locking down his maiden senior international podium. The former Junior World Cup winner turned the bracket upside down in the round of 16, showing spectacular emotional resilience to edge past his World number 2 compatriot—the multi-medallist and reigning European Champion Guillaume Bianchi—15–14 in a sudden-death thriller. Franzoni backed that up by defeating Great Britain's Jaimie Cook 15–11 in the quarter-finals to guarantee his bronze.
Tommaso Marini (World number 12) recaptured his finest championship form to lock down his first individual medal of the season. The 2023 World Champion put on an absolute clinic in the middle rounds, showcasing his elite reach to defeat World number 6 Nick Itkin (USA) 15–8 in the round of 16. Marini followed this with a dominant 15–7 quarter-final performance to halt the surging Cairo Champion, Iimura Kazuki, before being checked by Macchi in the final four.
