Bhavani Devi scripts fencing history
On Monday, CAS Bhavani Devi became the first Indian to win a medal in the Asian Fencing Championships—a bronze in the women’s sabre event.
Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman Bhavani Devi, simply known as Bhavani Devi, scripted fencing history on Monday when she became the first woman to win a medal in the 2023 Asian Fencing Championships.
She ensured a bronze medal by entering the semi-finals of the women’s sabre event, that too by defeating Japan’s Misaki Emura, the reigning world champion in the event.
She lost her semi-final, though, by just a point, after being tied at 14-all, against Uzbekistan’s Zaynab Dayibekova. The referee gave her a red card for ‘early start’, and that’s how she conceded the point. Bhavani wanted a video referral, which the referee rejected saying it is available only if there is a ‘blade contact’.
