Romanian fencer Ana Maria Popescu received the World Cup Trophy on November 27, in Lausanne, during the FIE - International Fencing Federation Congress.

“Declared the best swordswoman in the world in the 2020-2021 season, Ana received the award after a season ended at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, where Ana won the silver medal. Ana is the only swordswoman in the world who managed to win the World Cup Trophy 5 times,” the Romanian Fencing Federation announced.

Ana Maria Popescu won the first title in the 2007-2008 season, then in 2008-2009, 2012-2013, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021.

“Last year, when the FIE - International Fencing Federation decided to grant the awards for the athletes of the year although the season stopped halfway through, I felt a kind of injustice towards my opponents. I had a good start to the season, I was first in the world rankings, but I knew that things could change until the end ... so I was only half happy with the prize, and I promised myself that I would do my best as in next year to stay in the lead. A year later... here I am in Lausanne, at the FIE Congress, receiving for the fifth time this distinction. Proud, honoured and extremely happy,” Ana Maria Popescu wrote on Facebook.

Popescu has 3 Olympic, 6 world and 11 European medals, and has won 37 stages of the World Cup.

newsroom@romania-insider.com

(Poto source: Facebook/Ana-Maria Branza; photo by Augusto Bizzi Fotografo)