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Ching '20 Debuts at Senior World Cup
This past weekend in Baltimore, Sapphira Ching ('20) competed in her first-ever Senior Women's Saber World Cup (26 countries, 170 athletes, 25 former Olympians). Being the youngest athlete and the only 14 year-old at an event with a median age of 25, she finished 159 of 170.
Sapphy's coaches, Galya Pundyk (2008 Beijing Olympic Gold Medalist/Yale NCAA Head Saber Coach) and Maestro Oleg Stetsiv (two-time US Olympics coach/Princeton NCAA Head Saber Coach), were excited and pleased when Sapphy won over Germany's second top seed/2020 Tokyo Olympics candidate, Lisa Gette, who won Bronze in Budapest Junior World Cup just two week ago. She ranked higher than three Great Britain top cadets, Germany's top junior, one USA top cadet, and top seeds from Brazil, Argentina, Romania, Georgia, Taipei and Hong Kong (except the 15 year-old USA sabreuse, others were 17 to 26 years old). At the end of the event, she was embraced and congratulated by Maestro Ed Korfanty (four-time US Olympics coach/legendary coach of Mariel Zagunis), Penn State's Zara Moss (three time USA Division I Champion/2020 Tokyo Olympics candidate) and Princeton's Chloe Fox-Gitmore (two time Junior World Champion/2020 Tokyo Olympics candidate).
At this moment, Sapphira ranks #7 in USA Youth14 Women Saber and is the youngest USA Fencing Division I sabreuse in Connecticut. She is also the youngest three-weapons referee in USA Fencing history with a saber rating of Level 6. At the Baltimore World Cup, Sapphira was invited by USA Fencing Official Commission to referee Division II / III and Youth events at the 2018 Summer Nationals in St. Louis. There, she will compete in Division I, Junior and Cadet tournaments while officiating events on her off days.
Congratulations Sapphira!
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Sapphy's coaches, Galya Pundyk (2008 Beijing Olympic Gold Medalist/Yale NCAA Head Saber Coach) and Maestro Oleg Stetsiv (two-time US Olympics coach/Princeton NCAA Head Saber Coach), were excited and pleased when Sapphy won over Germany's second top seed/2020 Tokyo Olympics candidate, Lisa Gette, who won Bronze in Budapest Junior World Cup just two week ago. She ranked higher than three Great Britain top cadets, Germany's top junior, one USA top cadet, and top seeds from Brazil, Argentina, Romania, Georgia, Taipei and Hong Kong (except the 15 year-old USA sabreuse, others were 17 to 26 years old). At the end of the event, she was embraced and congratulated by Maestro Ed Korfanty (four-time US Olympics coach/legendary coach of Mariel Zagunis), Penn State's Zara Moss (three time USA Division I Champion/2020 Tokyo Olympics candidate) and Princeton's Chloe Fox-Gitmore (two time Junior World Champion/2020 Tokyo Olympics candidate).
At this moment, Sapphira ranks #7 in USA Youth14 Women Saber and is the youngest USA Fencing Division I sabreuse in Connecticut. She is also the youngest three-weapons referee in USA Fencing history with a saber rating of Level 6. At the Baltimore World Cup, Sapphira was invited by USA Fencing Official Commission to referee Division II / III and Youth events at the 2018 Summer Nationals in St. Louis. There, she will compete in Division I, Junior and Cadet tournaments while officiating events on her off days.
Congratulations Sapphira!
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