Recently, the fourth leg of the 2025 National Fencing Championship Series, which also served as the first qualifier for the 15th National Games, was held at Qingyuan Sports Center. The Guangdong Sports Lottery Fencing Team delivered a stellar performance, winning 3 gold, 1 silver, and 3 bronze medals.

Among the highlights, Deng Xiaohao and Lai Jiangling claimed the individual titles in the men’s sabre and women’s épée senior categories, respectively. In addition, the team of Deng Xiaohao, Xu Yingming, Liang Jianhao, and Zhou Junwei clinched the gold medal in the men’s sabre team event—securing a strong start to the National Games qualifying campaign.

Deng Xiaohao remained undefeated throughout the group stage of the men’s sabre event and powered through the knockout rounds to reach the final. In the final bout, Deng applied relentless pressure with rapid attacks and sealed the championship with a stunning “lunging throat thrust.”

Now 33 years old, the veteran Deng expressed that he approached the competition with the mindset of a challenger, climbing step by step from the bottom. This mindset, combined with years of experience, has made his strikes more effective. However, he acknowledged a decline in physical endurance and plans to intensify his conditioning training post-competition.

Victory also came from the men’s sabre team event, where Deng Xiaohao, Xu Yingming, Liang Jianhao, and Zhou Junwei fought their way into the final with unstoppable momentum. Demonstrating excellent teamwork and mutual encouragement, the quartet secured the gold medal.

In the women’s épée senior category, Lai Jiangling and Zhu Mingye represented Guangdong. Lai advanced to the final with an outstanding performance and took the initiative early in the match with aggressive thrusts, forcing her opponent into defense. After a grueling three-period duel that ended in a 10:10 tie, she secured the win in sudden death with a brilliant defensive counterattack. Veteran Zhu Mingye also delivered a strong performance, displaying refined technique and decisive strikes to earn a bronze medal.

This tournament served as a comprehensive test of the Guangdong Sports Lottery Fencing Team’s capabilities and provided valuable insights for upcoming summer training. Going forward, the team plans to further refine its “combat simulation + specialized enhancement” training model, strengthen collaboration between coaching, science, and medicine, boost morale, and go all out in the race for medals at the 15th National Games.