🇯🇵 YAMADA MASARU CAPTURES SECOND ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP EPEE GOLD IN NEW DELHI

NEW DELHI, INDIA — 20 JUNE 2026

Japan’s World number eight Yamada Masaru reasserted his elite regional status on the second day of the 2026 Asian Fencing Championships, capturing his second individual continental crown. Competing in New Delhi, the 2019 Asian Champion and reigning World Championship bronze medallist put together a clinical technical display to halt a sensational underdog run from Chinese Taipei’s Lee Rang, cruising to an authoritative 15–8 victory in the gold medal bout.

The golden triumph secures Yamada his first senior individual international podium of the season, upgrading the continental silver medal he secured at last year's edition.

While the 19-year-old Lee shocked the tournament to walk away with a historic silver medal, global heavyweight Kano Koki of Japan and Kazakhstan's veteran Ruslan Kurbanov took home the individual bronze medals.

Path to the Podium

Yamada Masaru (World number eight) built steady momentum throughout the morning session, winning five of his six poule matches to secure the number six seed for the direct elimination stages. Following a first-round bye, Yamada routinely dismantled the UAE's Al Maazmi 15–7 and Lebanon's Ramadan El Choueiry 15–5. He survived his toughest test of the day in the last 16, edging past his world number 16 international teammate  Komata Akira 15–14 in a tactical thriller. Yamada then comfortably controlled his quarter-final bout against Kazakhstan's world number 36 Dmitry Prokhodov 15–9, before booking his final spot with a masterful 15–13 semi-final triumph over the top-seeded Kano.

Lee Rang (World number 144) emerged as the ultimate surprise package of the championships, navigating a spectacular giant-killing path to secure his first ever senior international individual medal. Seeded a distant 45th after winning three of his six poule assignments, the teenage talent fenced completely without fear. He opened his knockout account by turning aside Korea's Nam 15–9 before pulling off a staggering 15–12 upset over Korea's world number 30 Park Sangyoung, the Rio 2016 Olympic Champion. Lee maintained his blistering form by defeating China's Lan 15–12, subduing Kyrgyzstan's Islamov 15–10 in the quarter-finals and eliminating Kurbanov 15–12 in the semi-finals before running out of steam against Yamada.

Kano Koki (World number one) guaranteed Japan a double presence on the individual podium by securing a hard-fought bronze medal. The Paris 2024 Olympic Champion and reigning World Champion added the continental bronze to the gold medal he captured at the Medellín Grand Prix earlier in the season. Entering the direct elimination bracket as the 18th seed, Kano systematically out-pointed Korea's Son 15–10, Singapore's Lee 15–10 and Kazakhstan's World number 22 Yerlik Sertay 15–9. He locked down his podium spot with a routine 15–9 quarter-final victory over Australia's J. Crook.

Ruslan Kurbanov (World number seven) reestablished his elite international credentials, securing a bronze medal to complement an incredibly successful season that featured a Heidenheim World Cup gold and an Astana World Cup silver. The 2017 Asian Champion and 2023 World Championship bronze medallist looked flawless in the early knockout rounds, breezing past Iran's Namzi 15–9, Singapore's Sito 15–12 and Kyrgyzstan's Bakytbek Uulu 15–7. Kurbanov booked his return to the continental podium by executing a brilliant 15–6 defensive clinic against China's Xiu in the quarter-finals.

Full results are here.