This means also that the team is in strong contention for qualification to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The foursome of Julia Beljajeva, Irina Embrich, Katrina Lehis and Veronika Zuikova performed disappointingly in the individual events in Hong Kong, but came together as a team to go all the way to the finals, losing to Olympic champions Italy by just a point, 31-30.

Before the world championships, Estonia was ranked seventh. The performance reached 291 points overall which moved them up three spaces in the world rankings, especially as on the way to the final they overcame Olympic runners-up France in the quarter finals, and reigning European silver medalists Hungary in the semis.

Only South Korea in first place (376 points), Italy (316) and the U.S. (296) are ahead of Estonian in the table now.

The promotion is also significant as the top four teams in the rankings automatically qualify for the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in two years' time. They will be joined by the top teams from each of the four worldwide zones.

The qualification period for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics begins on April 1 next year.

Three of the four who competed in Hong Kong – Lehis, Beljajeva and Embrich, were in the team which took team gold at the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021, while Lehis took individual bronze at the same games. In Paris two years ago, another fencer, Nelli Differt, was just outside the medals in the individual category.

The épée class uses a heavier thrusting weapon where the entire body is a valid target, whereas the lighter foil is a thrusting weapon restricted to the torso for points-scoring purposes.

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