Israeli Fencing Team Eyes Olympic Medal After Historic European and World Success

Israeli fencer Alon Sarid, 20, and his coach Dor Levit have marked a historic summer for Israeli fencing, highlighted by Sarid's silver medal at the European Championships and the Israeli épée team's fourth-place finish at the World Championships. Sarid's individual silver medal at the European event was a breakthrough, while the team’s near-podium finish at the Worlds represented Israel’s best-ever result in the discipline.

Coach Levit, who also trains the national team alongside Alexander Ivanov and Ohad Belva, emphasized the significant rise in the level and quality of fencing in Israel across all age groups. He noted the strong momentum among senior, youth, and cadet fencers and credited the national training center in Wingate for fostering intense competition and development. Despite the historic achievements, Levit expressed mixed feelings about narrowly missing a medal at the World Championships, where Israel lost twice in golden touches.

Looking ahead, the team’s primary goal is to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, aiming to be among the top four European teams to secure a spot. Sarid, currently ranked around 20th globally, aspires to break into the top 16 to gain automatic qualification advantages and sees the Olympic medal as a realistic target. He described the past month as "crazy," reflecting on his personal and team successes and the confidence they have built.

Sarid trains at the FEX fencing club in Tel Aviv, which has produced many of Israel’s top fencers. He highlighted the sport’s growing popularity and rising standards in Israel, crediting past generations of athletes who paved the way. Both Sarid and Levit believe Israeli fencing has the potential to become a global powerhouse with continued professional training, exposure, and quality results.

The team’s next major competition is the World Cup in Casablanca, Morocco, in October, where Sarid aims to accumulate ranking points to improve his world standing. The overarching ambition remains clear: to compete for and win an Olympic medal, a goal Sarid has held since childhood and now views as attainable.