World U23 Epee Champion

Published on isbi School News dated Tuesday 10th of September 2013

Fencers at St Benedict's School are starting the new season with a World Champion in their midst. During the summer holidays fifteen year old Dimitri Coutya became the U23 World Wheelchair Fencing Champion in epee category B. The Ealing schoolboy won his title in Warsaw at the World championships held on the weekend of July 5/7. Coutya also won a Bronze medal in the U23 foil category B.
In the epee poule rounds, Coutya recorded wins over Oleksander Tsvyntarnyl (Ukraine), Oleg Sukhoteplyi (Russia), Josh Russell (USA) and Alan Surajewski (Poland) and, despite a 4-5 defeat at the hands of Chavez Vanderson (Brazil), he progressed to the semi-finals. A
15-4 victory over the Ukrainian put Coutya into the final against Surajewski. This was a much tougher fight, with Coutya coming out on top by 15-12 to win the gold.
Clearly delighted, Coutya said; 'I was absolutely thrilled by my result in the epee and pleased with my result in the foil. What a powerful feeling it was to listen to Great Britain's national anthem when I was receiving my medal and the title that came with it! I would like to thank all my coaches, friends and family for their support. Without them, I am certain that I would not have been up there on that podium, receiving the gold.'
Denis Cranwell, Head of Fencing at St Benedict's School, said: 'I am so pleased for Dimitri Coutya, who has shown so much enthusiasm, willingness to learn and determination to succeed. We have a number of talented fencers coming through the younger age groups and it is great for them to have a role model like Dimitri to look up to. I am looking forward to a successful season.'