Taiwanese fencer Chen Chih-chieh on Saturday secured a narrow victory at the Singapore Foil Satellite tournament to take the men’s championship title.
The 24-year-old Chen defeated Singaporean Tan Raphael Juan Kang 15-14 in a thrilling final, as the Taiwanese returned to international competition after a two-month break.
Chen said after the match that it had been some time since his last competition and the goal was to use the event to regain his feel for the sport.
Photo: CNA
“I approached the tournament with a relaxed mindset, focusing on finding my rhythm and timing,” Chen said.
Chen is focused on preparing for the National Games in Yunlin County, which run from Saturday to Thursday next week, where he aims to defend the men’s foil title. His ultimate goal is to qualify for next year’s Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, and win Taiwan’s first-ever fencing medal at the event.
Taiwan’s Jasper Hsu, 19, finished sixth in Singapore, while 24-year-old compatriot Kuo Chun-yu was 13th.
The two-day Singapore Foil Satellite event, which ended yesterday with the women’s tournament, was held at the OCBC Arena.
