FINAL | Hong Kong, China 2026 World Championships | Do Gyeongdong vs. Pavel Graudyn

So here we go. Doe on the left. Groudon on the right. It's Sabre time. Real tough pick here because Groudon has spent exceptionally well. They're both the born fencers here. We have an outside pick to replace on the podium. They're going to be on the top two steps. I cannot tell you which way around. That was a lovely parry from Doe. Straight away Groudon gets a card for the early start. Sorry, Doe gets a card for the early start. Yeah, they've switched it back. They must have just pressed the wrong button. I know how they feel. We're just looking to see the first action that goes through and it does. Beautiful distance from Groudon there. He stayed close and just waited for Doe to finish and that is a sign of someone who has had a watch of what Doe's doing. Looking for the length, that incredible length of Doe's attack and just skipping away from the end of it. Bogues well for Groudon that because it means he's got the distance right already. Yeah, Doe fell short there. I think even if he hadn't parried it would have been Groudon's attack. He didn't need the parry, he just felt the braces. Groudon has got off to a fly here. Doe at the moment just seems to be coming out of the block super fast and going after his opponent. He needs to change that. A little bit predictable. He has changed it. This is a trap but then falls short again because Groudon's good at getting back. Yeah, he's worked the distance. He's ready. He's come into this ready. He knows that he's take one extra step than he normally does away from that long attack and he's negating one of Doe's biggest weapons. Well, they met twice this year already. Does that have that in the memory banks? Again, Groudon's just stepped away from the attack, made miss and off he goes after his opponent. He's having to work very, very hard for this at the end of an incredibly long day though. Just bear that in mind. Can he keep this up? Well, he made it work in Padua. He got beaten the first time they met by Doe 1510 and then he came back and absolutely annihilated Doe 1514. He's on track to do it. Now the variety comes in. So he's thrown out an attack. I don't think that attack was actually a real one. It's a second intention action. He's just gone short and he knows he's going to get short because he recovers forward and he's looking for the counter block. It is Doe's right of way but counters there and then doesn't get hit. Again, right of way with Pavel Groudon. The blade's picked up. So Doe has adapted as well now. So Doe's now saying right, I've got to take this out of the middle but I've got to find actions with the blade. There's the prise de fer. He's got the right of way still. Beautiful first period from Pavel Groudon. Yes, a lot of it was at the beginning all about making miss and using distances as defense but then he changed it at the end and got three hits in a completely different way. This last one, a deliberate second intention para riposte. The one before was even better. Fake attack, make miss from Doe. He's expecting that reaction. Here we go, second period. He's fencing with authority, with confidence and when you get to this kind of score line, it plays tricks on the line with your opponent. Doe just can't get near him. Well, it's too easy. Making it look too easy, Pavel Groudon. This is all about the fact that he came into the fight and he said I absolutely need to take one extra step away than I normally would against every other opponent. And that's exactly what he did when he annihilated him 15-4 at the last time they met in Padua. So that's better. So Doe steps his eyes open, draws the attack, makes miss and then he can take his time as he comes forward because Groudon's that little bit closer because he's committed to that long lunge. Now he takes his time and looks to see where he's going to go and then just neatly finishes off. That's the only way he's going to pin him in if he's going to get attacks. It's got to be the second phase. And again, now he's showing the variety. So now he steps in eyes open, Groudon thinks well I don't want to make the same mistake again and so because he's closer, Doe can then launch that super fast because he went looking for the blade. Doe looked like he was off the line faster but he went searching for his opponent's blade here. That's where he went looking for it and that gives the right away. Well he's scored more than he's been in the past. Or is this the start of the turnaround? I think Groudon showed there that he is prepared to make a tactical change. He stepped into the middle with two steps and stopped. He's gone eyes open but he just got caught out on that occasion. He would have learned from that. Another yellow card for Groudon gives Doe a point. That could be crucial. Doe's on a comeback here. Now I think that's worth a call from Doe. Referee has given this to the right. Groudon has done nothing at this point but he brings his arm back Doe. So I think now I've seen the replay. The referee is going to stick with his decision here. Right call. I felt Doe had a chance but as soon as you see the replay you can see that Groudon couldn't get the riposte. That was the line out. Yeah and that's what the referee is going to go and have a look at here. I think that Pavel Groudon has got to beat the line. So this is the miss. This is the distance that Groudon was fencing out earlier on. The line's come out here. I think Groudon beats the blade at target. The line has to stay threatening the target at all times and as he went for his disengage to avoid the beat he went away from the target. Short again from Doe. It's just made short by Groudon. And that was the best one so far to make misses because he missed by the smallest amount which gives him much more opportunity to get back out on the attack. He's made this look pretty easy Pavel Groudon. And that's it. Pavel Groudon is our new world champion. What an incredible display. It was dominant from start to finish. Doe Jung Jong of Korea could do nothing about that. Pavel Groudon absolutely bossed this gold medal match.