Ruslan Kurbanov etched his name in history at the 2023 World Fencing Championships in Milan. He became the first Kazakh fencer to secure a medal in a world-level fencing championship, QazMonitor reports citing the National Olympic Committee.
From July 22 to July 30, Milan, Italy is hosting the FIE Fencing World Championships, attracting over 1,000 fencers from 158 nations competing in 12 categories.
To secure a spot in the top three of the individual epee category, the Kazakh fencer had to face a challenging lineup of opponents, including the three-time Olympic champion and four-time team world champion French fencer Yannick Borel. Kurbanov won that encounter 15:14 and proceeded to the quarter-finals, where he faced Italy's Valerio Cuomo. The Kazakh athlete emerged victorious 15:12, winning the bronze medal and a place in national sports history.
His run ended in the bout against Hungary’s Mate Tamas Koch, where the Kazakh fencer suffered a defeat with a score of 11:15.