From September 28 to October 8, the 3rd CIS Games will be held across seven cities in Azerbaijan. One of the sports included in the program is fencing, with participation open to athletes born between 2006 and 2010.
The Azerbaijani national team is determined to compete for medals. Head coaches of the épée and sabre squads shared their thoughts on the preparation process and expectations for the tournament.
Sudef Guliyev, head coach of the national épée team, confirmed that the squad for the Games has been finalized:
”A training camp will start at the end of August in Qusar, with a primary focus on enhancing physical fitness. Another camp is scheduled for September, potentially abroad. Additionally, the Baku Championship will take place in September, where our CIS Games squad will compete. This will serve as an important preparation ahead of the Games.”
Assessing the prospects of the épée team, the head coach noted that several medals are expected from the athletes:
“Khadija Hasanli, Aynur Guliyeva, Nazrin Mehdiyeva, and others have the potential to win medals.”
He added that although the full list of competitors from other countries is not yet finalized, strong competition is expected.
“Fencing has traditionally been strong in Russia, Belarus, and other CIS countries. Nevertheless, we believe we can win medals.”
Elkhan Ahmadov, head coach of the Azerbaijani junior sabre team, stated that the squad was selected based on last season’s results and includes the country’s top sabreurs in this age category:
“Our athletes have already performed at World and European Championships. In August, we will hold a training camp in Qusar, and in September, we will have another camp focused on technical and tactical preparation.”
Ahmadov noted that the team is fully ready toaim for medals:
“The squad includes promising athletes who have proven themselves among both juniors and cadets. We are ready to fight for medals, and competing at home will give us an advantage.”
Speaking about their opponents, he added that strong teams will come to Baku:
“Russia is traditionally very strong, Belarus consistently delivers good results, and in recent years fencing has developed significantly in Uzbekistan, where substantial financial resources have been invested.”
