Kazakhstan's foil fencing team has concluded its campaign at the World Championships in Hong Kong, competing in the women's tournament on the final day. Invited consultant coach Artur Akhmatkhuzin assessed the team's performance, reports infohub.kz.
The Russian specialist has been working with the Kazakh national team as a guest consultant coach since March this year. The Kazakhstan foil fencers also train with the Russian team, one of the strongest in this weapon discipline. After the Kazakh athletes' performance at the world championships, Akhmatkhuzin discussed key areas for improvement and the joint training process.
“The Kazakhstan foil fencing team is very interesting. The athletes are skilled but currently lack self-belief and confidence in their abilities. They seem not to realize their own potential. Confidence comes with results. I hope that through their hard work, dedication, and sacrifice, results will follow. Their skill is evident because they have a foundation from the Soviet school of fencing. They have well-developed technique and footwork. These basics are solid, and now it's only about confidence, which will come from regular international competitions and tournaments. It is important to compete in a competitive environment. Regarding the performance here at the world championships, it's still difficult to evaluate. I started working with the team two months ago. I specifically liked that the team reliably passed the first group stage. For me, reaching the second day was the minimum I expected. We expected to win more bouts in the elimination stage; we fell short a bit. On the positive side, the Kazakhstan team is now having joint training camps with the Russian team. The Russian foil fencing team is one of the strongest in the world. Having a lot of sparring in the training process will help improve skill. Competing with the best means learning from them. For me, the progress is obvious because I see the difference from the first training camp. We have constant tests and combat practices during camps, and the athletes are showing themselves. I hope this effort is not in vain. It is a long process; after they understand the requirements and acquire the necessary skills, it will soon reflect in results,” Akhmatkhuzin said.
Akhmatkhuzin, 38, is an Olympic champion in foil fencing from 2016 and a silver medalist at the 2013 World Championships as part of the Russian team.