Kuala lumpur: The Qatari fencing team captured the silver medal in the epee team competition at the U23 Asian Fencing Championships, currently being held in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. The tournament, which features participation from 18 of the continent’s strongest fencing nations, concludes on Sunday.

According to Qatar News Agency, this remarkable result marks a historic milestone for Qatari fencing – the country’s first-ever medal in a team event at the Asian level. The Qatari epee team advanced to the final following a series of outstanding performances. They defeated the Philippines 45-35 in the quarterfinals and overcame Thailand 45-40 in the semifinals before narrowly losing to Uzbekistan by a single point, 39-38, in a thrilling final bout.

The Qatari delegation included six fencers: in foil, Khaled Aref and Abdullah Khalifa; and in epee, Abdulrahman Al Jadra, Youssef Abdultawab, Mohammed Abdel Ali, and Ali Al Khalif. The team was led by coach Mohammed Rabei.

The silver medal reflects the growing progress of Qatari fencing and the success of the Qatar Fencing Federation’s ongoing efforts to develop the sport and enhance its competitive standing at the continental and international levels.