Kuwaiti fencing star Al-Shamlan advances to round of 64 at Grand Prix Saber Championship

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TUNIS, Jan 14: Hamad Al-Awadhi, Secretary and Chairman of the National Teams Committee at the Kuwaiti Fencing Federation, announced that Kuwait’s fencing champion, Yousef Al-Shamlan, successfully secured a place in the round of 64 at the Grand Prix Saber Championship in Tunisia. Al-Shamlan achieved a crucial victory against a player from the Canadian national team during the ongoing competition.

Al-Awadhi emphasized the significance of the Grand Prix Saber Championship, highlighting its status as one of the most formidable tournaments where qualification points are doubled for teams. This directly impacts international rankings, and Al-Shamlan currently holds the 29th position in the global fencing classification. Anticipating a positive shift in his ranking post-tournament, Al-Awadhi expressed confidence in Al-Shamlan’s potential.

The Secretary noted that Al-Shamlan’s path to the Paris Olympics 2024 is becoming clearer, especially with the elimination of his closest rivals from Uzbekistan and Hong Kong in the preliminary rounds. The official qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympics are expected to be announced by the International Fencing Federation in March, following the conclusion of all organized tournaments. Thirty-two players will directly qualify based on the international classification.

Al-Awadhi underlined the significant support provided by Yousef Al-Baidan, the Director General of the Public Authority for Sports, to Kuwaiti champions, particularly in fencing. He praised Al-Baidan’s commitment to facilitating optimal results and Olympic qualifications for the athletes.

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