PARIS—A shocking upset at the 2024 Olympics ended Hungarian fencer Aron Szilagyi’s quest for a fourth consecutive gold medal in Olympic fencing. Szilagyi, the only male fencer to win three individual gold medals in men’s saber, was hoping to make history by winning a fourth in Paris.
However, Szilagyi’s winning streak came to an abrupt end in his first bout of the Paris Games. He was defeated 15-8 by Canadian fencer Fares Arfa, the 27th seed, in the round of 32. Arfa, a first-time Olympian, took an early lead and maintained his advantage throughout the match.
Reflecting on his unexpected loss, Szilagyi said, “I’m in a bit of shock right now, so I’m not even disappointed or angry at myself yet. It happened so fast, and I’ve never thought that my individual competition here in Paris would be so short.”
Despite his defeat, Szilagyi had an impressive record of 15 consecutive wins in individual saber competition at the Olympics. His last loss in this event was in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics. Arfa, who had previously won team gold at the Pan-American Games, delivered a standout performance in his Olympic debut.
“It was like as if he’d been the three-time Olympic champion, and I was some kind of first-time Olympian,” Szilagyi remarked.
In addition to Szilagyi’s upset, other notable upsets occurred in fencing on Saturday. Last year’s men’s saber world champion, Eli Dershwitz of the United States, was defeated by Hungarian fencer Csanad Gemesi. Sun Yiwen, the defending Olympic champion in women’s epee, also suffered a surprising loss in her opening bout.
By James Ellingworth
