Bhavani Devi exits individual women's sabre event in Fencing World Cup

Bhavani Devi, ranked 55th in the world, had received a bye in the round of 128 but she suffered an 8-15 loss to Spain's Elena Hernandez in the next round.

C. A. Bhavani Devi became the first-ever fencer to qualify for the Olympics last year.

Indian fencers, including Olympian Bhavani Devi, bowed out of the women's individual sabre event of the World Cup after losing their respective contests in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Bhavani Devi, ranked 55th in the world, had received a bye in the round of 128 but she suffered an 8-15 loss to Spain's Elena Hernandez in the next round.

The 28-year-old from Chennai, the first Indian to participate in the Olympics, secured victories in four matches in the group stage, while losing one. One match was called off.

 

Among other Indians in the fray, Anitha Karunakaran and Josna Christy Jose couldn't cross the round of 128.

While Karunakaran lost 3-15 to Russia's Dariya Drozd, Jose lost to Spain's Araceli Navarro by a similar scoreline.

The men's and women's Team World Cup will get underway at the same venue on Monday.

Bhavani Devi may compete in the next women’s World Cup in Plovdiv, Bulgaria from January 28 to 29. There are two more World Cups in Greece (March 4 to 5) and Belgium (March 18 to 19).