Julia Beljajeva

Julia Beljajeva (born 21 July 1992) is an Estonian épée fencer, 2013 world champion and 2017 team world champion.[1]

Julia Beljajeva
Personal information
Born (1992-07-21) 21 July 1992
Tartu, Estonia
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight60 kg (132 lb)
Sport
SportFencing
WeaponÉpée
HandRight-handed
ClubTartu Kalev
Head coachNatalja Kotova
FIE rankingcurrent ranking

Career

Beljajeva (right) fences Anna Sivkova at the 2013 World Championships final.

Beljajeva took up fencing when she was ten years old at the suggestion of her aunt.[2] Her first significant award was a bronze medal in the Nordic Cadet Championships, followed in 2008 by a silver medal, then a gold medal in 2009 in the Cadet European Championships.

In the senior category, she was a member of the Estonia team that won the bronze medal in women's team épée at 2012 European Championships in Legnano and the gold medal at the 2013 European Championships in Zagreb. Ranked 69th in the International Fencing Federation's rankings, she created an upset by defeating 15–14 world No. 1 Ana Maria Brânză in the quarter-finals of the 2013 World Fencing Championships. She then prevailed 14–13 world over No.5 Emese Szász and defeated 15–14 world No.4 Anna Sivkova to win the gold medal and Estonia's second world title in épée.[3] She finished the 2012–13 season ranked 9th, a career best as of 2014.

In the 2013–14 season Beljajeva climbed her first World Cup with a silver medal in the Doha Grand Prix, followed by a quarter-finals placing in Barcelona. At the European Championships in Strasbourg, she lost in the second round to Switzerland's Tiffany Géroudet. In the team event, Estonia were defeated by Russia in the semi-finals, then by Italy and finished 4th. At the World Championships in Kazan she was overcome in the table of 16 by teammate Erika Kirpu, who eventually earned a bronze medal, and could not defend her title. In the team event, Estonia took their revenge against Italy in the semi-finals, prevailing 42–32, but lost to Russia in the final and ended up with a silver medal. Beljajeva finished the season No. 16.

References

  1. Andrus Nilk (13 August 2013). "Julia Beljajeva: finaalmatšis võtsin riske, sest kaotada polnud midagi". Eesti Päevaleht (in Estonian).
  2. "WCH 2013: Estonia dominates the épée events". International Fencing Federation. Archived from the original on 2014-11-04.
Awards
Preceded by
Anett Kontaveit
Estonian Young Athlete of the Year
2013
Succeeded by
Katrina Lehis
Preceded by
Triin Aljand
Estonian Athlete of the Year
2013
Succeeded by
Erika Kirpu
Preceded by
Ksenija Balta
Estonian Athlete of the Year
2017
Succeeded by
Saskia Alusalu
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