Singapore's Kiria Tikanah clinches epee silver at Asian Games, makes history

TOKYO: Going into the Asian Games, Singapore fencer Kiria Tikanah was not too sure about how she was going to fare.

But on Tuesday (Sep 22), those worries were laid to rest in superb fashion as she clinched an Asian Games silver in the women's individual epee event.

"I haven't been fencing well for the past couple of months, training or competition. So going into this competition, actually I was a bit like nervous, I didn't know how I was gonna fare," the 26-year-old told reporters.

"I decided to just trust that the work is going to culminate into something, and I really just trusted my actions today. And I think it worked out well for me."

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Despite losing to South Korea's world number 3 Song Se-ra 15-8 in the individual epee final at the Aichi Sky Expo, the 100th-ranked Kiria registered the best finish by any local fencer at the meet.

"It was a very memorable moment even to just qualify for the finals. And I went into the finals match, knowing that it's going to be a tough match, and I really had nothing to lose. I just left it all out there," she said.

"It was close at the start, as it always has been for all my matches against her. But her experience from the many years of competing really showed, and she was a better fencer today."

The South Korean is a two-time world champion, and clinched silver at the last edition of the Games in Hangzhou.

Kiria, a two-time Olympian, was Singapore’s flag bearer at the Games opening ceremony. She is the first fencer to win an individual Games medal since Lim Wei Wen in the men’s epee in 2014.

At the 2018 Games, the women's foil team of Amita Berthier, Maxine Wong, Tatiana Wong and Melanie Huang secured a joint-bronze.

Earlier in the day, Kiria upset Kazakhstan’s Irina Bakaldina 15-14 to book her spot in the semi-finals. She went on to stun China's Yang Jing Wen.

Kiria’s compatriot Elle Koh also qualified for the final eight but lost 11-15 to Japan’s Tamaki Terayama.

"Elle did really well today. I think she just had a bit of a tougher path," said Kiria, who along with Koh will be part of the quartet that will compete in the women's epee team event.

"We've been going to training camps for so many months now together ... And I think I can see that everyone's improving together as well. So we have really good chemistry going to this competition, and I think if we keep it up and if we keep our focus straight, I think we can do well."

In the men's individual foil event, Singapore’s Samuel Robson put up a strong fight against Hong Kong’s Ryan Choi in the quarterfinals, but lost 12-15.