In October, the 2026 Ukrainian Fencing Cup concluded in Uzhhorod, with Ukrainian epee fencer Vlada Kharkova snatching victory by a single touch in the final. This tournament was the athlete's second of the current season: she missed the previous competitive year following her triumph at the 2025 World Championships. In an interview with Suspilne Sport, cited by Sport RBC.UA, Kharkova stated that her victory at the national championship became the starting point for returning to full-time work with the national team and competing in all international events of the season.
The Casablanca Lesson: When Ease Disappears
The first international tournament of the new season proved less successful for the Ukrainian. At the World Cup stage in Casablanca, Morocco, Kharkova lost her opening main draw match to Russian Anastasia Rustamova with a score of 14:15. "I was leading 14:11 and lost. I am sure it is a mental issue. It was no longer a neutral battle, and winning was critically important — to show something both to myself and to them," the athlete commented. According to her, the excessive desire to win deprived her of her usual ease and relaxation on the strip, which led to conceding three touches in a row.
"Enormous Anger Inside": Reaction to the Admission of Russian Fencers
The 2026/27 season is the first since the start of the full-scale invasion in which the International Fencing Federation (FIE) allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in its tournaments without prior restrictions. Following a period of competing under a neutral status, representatives of these countries returned to competitions with national symbols. Kharkova spoke candidly about the emotions caused by this admission: "There is just enormous anger inside. I understand that as an athlete I must fight it and remain neutral, but frankly, there is no way to do that. Every day, the fury and this life injustice grow. We can only accept the rules of the game and try to show our strength and resilience."
Invisible Strip Neighbors
The epee fencer shared that Ukrainian and Russian fencers practically do not interact with each other at international tournaments. "Actually, they do not contact us, they keep it quite neutral. And we do not approach them, we do not create any situations. We do not sit close or talk to anyone who talks to them. We try our best to pretend they do not exist, and they do the same," Kharkova described the atmosphere in the locker rooms and waiting areas.
Looking to Los Angeles: Season Plans and Qualification Cycle
Following her victory at the Ukrainian Cup, the athlete confirmed her intention to return to full-scale work with the national team: to compete in all international events of the season, participate in training camps, and prepare for the European and World Championships. "The plans are big. I am returning to all events of the season, will compete at all events, and take part in all training camps. And, of course, prepare for the European and World Championships," she stated. The following year holds special significance for Kharkova: in April 2027, the qualification period for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will begin, and this qualification will be the main goal of her preparation over the next two seasons.
