Japan Women's Saber National Team Wins Bronze Medal at World Cup Team Event!

On Sunday, March 29, 2026, local time, the Japanese national team secured a bronze medal in the team event at the Women's Saber World Cup held in Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan.

The Japanese team, ranked 4th in the world entering this tournament, defeated Germany 45-30 in the quarterfinals. Although they narrowly lost to Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) 41-45 in the subsequent semifinals, they went on to win the 3rd place match against Poland 45-44, securing the bronze medal.

[Image] Japanese national team members who won the bronze medal. From left: Yui Sano, Misaki Emura, Yuina Kaneko, Chirika Takahashi. [Image] Player introductions for the 3rd place match. [Image] Misaki Emura (left) launching an attack. A scene from the match. [Image] Misaki Emura (left) and Yui Sano (right) exchanging a high-five.

Player Comments ・Misaki Emura (Tachihi Holdings Co., Ltd.) "I am very happy to stand on the podium in a team event after a long time. There were frustrating moments, but also good ones, and I felt that we were truly a good team, fighting together, encouraging and supporting each other until the end. Personally, I am frustrated that I got injured in the 3rd place match and caused trouble for the team, but first, I want to focus on treatment and prepare thoroughly for the next competition. Thank you very much to everyone who supported us. I am grateful to everyone who supported us."

・Yuina Kaneko (Miki House) "I am very happy to have achieved a 3rd place result at this World Cup. However, I am filled with regret that we missed advancing to the final by just one step. I feel there are still many areas where we can improve, so I will make sure to correct them and work hard to finish in a better position at the next World Cup. Thank you for your support."

・Yui Sano (Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd.) "I am honestly happy to have won the bronze medal, but this tournament left me with personal challenges. I was supported by my teammates, coaches, and many others, which led to this result. I will continue to strive for even greater heights. Thank you very much for all your encouragement and support!"

・Chirika Takahashi (Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd.) "I am very happy to have achieved a 3rd place result in the Tashkent World Cup team event. Also, it is my first time standing on the podium in a senior competition, which makes me very happy and gives me a special feeling. I sincerely thank my coaches, staff, and everyone who supported me up to this point. On the other hand, I still have many challenges and strongly feel there is room to aim higher. I will use this experience to grow further and continue to work hard for even better results."

Tournament Results https://www.fencingtimelive.com/events/results/C410D4B7849B4AF29096406FB111A3D7

Images Please feel free to download and use them. When using, please include the credit: "© Japan Fencing Federation".

Contact Information for this Matter Japan Fencing Federation Public Relations: Maezawa E-mail: shuzai@fencing-jpn.jp