"The main opponent in the qualification stage is Italy. I hope we will defeat them and win a license to the Olympics."
Idman.biz reports that this was said by Anna Bashta, the leader of the Azerbaijan national team in saber fencing.
The experienced saber player spoke about the goals of the team in the European Qualifying Tournament. Emphasizing the strength of the Italian team, she said that a difficult challenge awaits the youth team: "I have been fencing for 20 years, and the Italian team has always been considered one of the favorites. They have always been in the Top-4. We have a team of young but good athletes. We have gained experience in the international arena in the last 3-4 years. Our competitors are above us in the rating table. That's a 1-2 rating difference. But this factor does not discourage us. We performed successfully in the qualification tournament and aimed to qualify for the Paris Summer Olympic Games.
It should be noted that the teams ranked 5-16 in the ranking table in the European Qualifying stage will compete for the only qualification. Azerbaijan national team ranks 8th in the table.
Idman.biz
