Tibilashvili, Khetsuriani Excel at Wheelchair Fencing World Cup

20-year-old architecture student and world class fencer Nina Tibilashvili has taken home a meal for Georgia in the 2018 under-23 World Cup of Wheelchair Fencing.

Irma Khetsuriani, the first woman to be a member of the Georgian national wheelchair fencing team, took first place in the Women’s Sabre B Category, defeating Thailand’s Saysunee Jana in her final match. In October 2015, she won gold at the World Cup in Paris in the Senior Women’s Sabre B Category.

The World Cup was held this year in Warsaw, Poland 5 - 8 July 2018. In her final match on Wednesday, Tibilashvili defeated Italian Sofia Brunati 15:4 to win her second World Cup medal. In 2016, Tibilashvili won a bronze medal at the Wheelchair Fencing World Cup held in Pisa, Italy. Both World Cup wins were in the Women's Sabre A Category.

The young fencers have claimed several awards and titles, representing Georgia at competitions throughout Europe. Their most recent wins together were this May at the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation satellite tournament in Sarrebourg, France.

By Samantha Guthrie

Photo: Parasport Development Centre of Tbilisi.