🇫🇷 NOUTCHA DOUBLE-DIPS WITH LIMA GOLD AS CHOI SEBIN STUNS HEAVYWEIGHTS
Updated: Aug 6
LIMA, PERU — MAY 23, 2026
Reigning European Champion Sarah Noutcha (FRA) etched her name into the history books as the first woman to capture two Sabre World Cup titles this season, taking home the gold at the regular-season finale in Lima. The world number 4 put on a tactical clinic at the Polideportivo 3, resisting a phenomenal underdog charge from Korea's Choi Sebin to seal a 15–11 victory.
The spectacular win matches Noutcha's previous golden triumph from the Salt Lake City World Cup in January, providing her with massive momentum ahead of the zonal and World Championships.
While Noutcha climbed the top step, Choi Sebin (KOR)—ranked 57th in the world—engineered the definitive giant-killing spree of the weekend to capture her second senior circuit medal with a historic silver. The bronze medals were awarded to Hungary’s Sugár Katinka Battai and top-seeded reigning World Champion Yana Egorian (AIN).
Path to the Podium
Sarah Noutcha (World number 4) sent an immediate warning shot across the tournament by rendering a flawless 15–0 shutout over Venezuela's Katherine Paredes Torres in the round of 64. She then navigated a razor-thin 15–14 cliffhanger against Japan's Kaneko Yuina in the round of 16 before edging Spain's veteran star Araceli Navarro 15–13. Noutcha saved her finest fencing for the semi-finals, completely dominating world number 1 Yana Egorian 15–7 before controlling the distance against Choi to secure the title.
Choi Sebin (World number 57) played the role of ultimate bracket spoiler, systematically eliminating three of the world's top eight fencers. Her spectacular run kicked off with a 15–10 upset over world number 3 Yoana Ilieva (BUL) in the round of 32. Choi followed that by taking down world number 8 Alina Mikhailova (AIN) 15–12 in the quarter-finals, before putting a stop to Athens champion Sugár Katinka Battai 15–12 in a breathless semi-final duel.
Sugár Katinka Battai (World number 5) capped off an incredibly wealthy regular campaign with her third individual podium appearance, adding to her silver from Algiers and gold from Athens. The reigning European bronze medallist looked ruthlessly efficient early on, blasting past Azerbaijan's Anna Bashta 15–3 before picking apart a dense draw to dismantle France's Toscane Tori 15–9 in the quarter-finals to guarantee her bronze.
Yana Egorian (World number 1) confirmed her remarkable consistency by locking down her fourth individual podium of the season. The Rio 2016 Olympic Champion and reigning World Champion treated the Peruvian fans to an elite display of defensive counter-timing, holding off Uzbekistan's Zaynab Dayibekova 15–13 in the 32 before defeating Italy’s Mariella Viale 15–9 in the quarter-finals.
