Emily Konrad has secured Ukraine’s first medal at the 2026 European U23 Fencing Championships, held in Cagliari, Italy. The 18-year-old fencer achieved a bronze in the women’s sabre competition, marking a significant milestone for the Ukrainian team.
The championships kicked off on Saturday, April 25, with the women’s events featuring four Ukrainian competitors: Konrad, Anna Maksymenko, Maria Sereda, and Alina Dmytruk. Among them, Konrad delivered the standout performance.
In the initial round, Konrad narrowly defeated Spain’s Daniela Piñol with a score of 15-14, followed by a victory over Norway’s Elsa von Koss Gellebo. Her next challenge was against Italian fencer Lucrezia Paulis, a bronze medalist from the World Cup in Barcelona and the Grand Prix in Doha in 2025. Konrad edged out Paulis with a close score of 10-9.
Advancing to the quarterfinals, Konrad faced another Italian, Vittoria Siletti, and won on priority with an 11-10 score. In the semifinals, she met Gaia Caforio, the 2024 European champion and 2025 runner-up. The match was tightly contested, with the outcome decided in an extra minute, resulting in a narrow loss for Konrad at 11-12.
Despite the semifinal defeat, Konrad’s bronze medal represents a historic achievement for Ukraine at the U23 European Championships. This medal is her third in continental competitions, adding to her previous individual championship in 2023 and a team victory in 2024. With this accomplishment, she has become the most decorated Ukrainian fencer in the history of the U23 European Championships.
Emily Konrad's bronze medal at the 2026 European U23 Fencing Championships marks a historic achievement for Ukraine, making her the most decorated fencer in U23 history. Her performance highlights the growing talent in Ukrainian fencing.