Head coach of Azerbaijan’s national fencing team Chingiz Mustafayev has shared his assessment of the team’s performance at the World Cup stage in Tashkent in a comment to Idman.Biz.
“I am, of course, satisfied with the results. First of all, I am very happy for Polina Kasperovich, who finally won a bronze medal. She had been on the verge of the podium for a long time, always missing just a little. This is her first success at such a prestigious level, and I am sure it will not be the last,” Mustafayev said.
He also highlighted the growing internal competition within the squad, noting that Sabina Kerimova and young Zarifa Huseynova are closing the gap on team leader Anna Bashta.
“For Anna, this was a particularly important start. After two consecutive injuries, she had not competed for almost two years. It was essential for her to regain confidence and feel the atmosphere of major tournaments again. We decided not to take risks and entered her only in the individual event, leaving her out of the team competition. The most important thing is that she is back with us and ready to fight,” he added.
The Tashkent stage marked an important step for Azerbaijan’s sabre team as it continues to rebuild its core and strengthen depth ahead of upcoming international competitions.
