🇮🇹 UNSTOPPABLE BIANCHI BACKS UP TURIN GOLD WITH LIMA GRAND PRIX TITLE
Updated: Aug 5
LIMA, PERU — 22 MARCH 2026
Italy’s Guillaume Bianchi solidified his status as the man to beat on the global circuit, capturing the gold medal at the Lima Men’s Foil Grand Prix. The reigning European Champion put on a masterclass in Peru to secure his second consecutive Grand Prix victory of the season, following his triumph on home soil in Turin last month. The win marks an incredible fourth podium of the campaign for the in-form Italian, who also holds bronze medals from the Paris and Palma World Cups.
In the final, Bianchi defeated Kirill Borodachev (AIN) 15–12. For Borodachev, the 2025 World Championship silver medallist, the runner-up finish marks his first career Grand Prix podium and his second medal of the season after a silver in Fukuoka.
The bronze medals mirrored the podium from Turin, with two-time Olympic Champion Cheung Ka Long (HKG) and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Alex Choupenitch (CZE) both repeating their third-place finishes from the season's opening Grand Prix.
Path to the Podium
Guillaume Bianchi (World number 2) was imperious from start to finish. He navigated his way to the final four with a series of comfortable single-digit victories before edging Hong Kong's Ho 15–13 in a tight quarter-final. In the semi-finals, Bianchi dictated the tempo against Choupenitch to win 15–10, before showing superior tactical execution in the final to hold off Borodachev.
Kirill Borodachev (World number 7) authored a spectacular run to the final, highlighted by a thrilling 15–14 quarter-final upset over World number 4 and Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Nick Itkin (USA). Borodachev then delivered the shock of the day in the semi-finals, completely dismantling the legendary Cheung Ka Long 15–3 to book his place in the gold medal match.
Cheung Ka Long (World number 9) showcased incredible grit on his way to the bronze. He survived a razor-thin 15–14 battle against World number 13 Maxime Pauty (FRA) in the round of 16, which set up a blockbuster domestic quarter-final. Cheung dug deep to defeat his teammate, the reigning World and Asian Champion Choi Chun Yin, 15–13, before running out of steam against an inspired Borodachev in the semi-finals.
Alex Choupenitch (World number 5) proved his world-class consistency yet again. His day began with a nerve-shredding 14–13 "sudden death" victory over Italy’s veteran star Alessio Foconi in the round of 64. From there, the Palma World Cup champion grew into the tournament, defeating Japan's Kyosuke Matsuyama 15–13 in the quarter-finals before being halted by Bianchi in the final four.
