Nikolay Kovalev (fencer)
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Nikolay Anatolyevich Kovalev (; born 28 October 1986) is a Russian former
sabre A sabre or saber ( ) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the Early Modern warfare, early modern and Napoleonic period, Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such a ...
fencer. He won a bronze medal in the
2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
in London and a gold medal in the 2014 World Championships in Kazan. He is three-times World team champion (2010, 2011 and 2013) and twice European team champion (2007 and 2012). He is now a coach in California in the United States.


Career

Kovalev became European Junior champion in 2002 at
Conegliano Conegliano (; Venetian language, Venetian: ''Conejan'') is a town and ''comune'' of the Veneto region, Italy, in the province of Treviso, about north by rail from the town of Treviso. The population of the city is of people. The remains of a 10th ...
. He won the silver medal in the 2005 Junior World Championships at
Linz Linz (Pronunciation: , ; ) is the capital of Upper Austria and List of cities and towns in Austria, third-largest city in Austria. Located on the river Danube, the city is in the far north of Austria, south of the border with the Czech Repub ...
, then a bronze medal in the 2006 Junior World Championships at Taebaek City. Amongst seniors, he climbed his first
World Cup A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the name is ...
podium in 2006 with a second place in the Gerevich-Kovács-Kárpáti Cup in Budapest. He won the team gold medal in the 2006 European Championships. He went on to earn the team bronze medal at the
2006 World Fencing Championships The 2006 World Fencing Championships were held at the Oval Lingotto in Turin, Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, ...
in Turin with Aleksey Frosin,
Stanislav Pozdnyakov Stanislav Alekseyevich Pozdnyakov ( rus, Станислав Алексеевич Поздняков, , stənʲɪˈslaf pəzʲnʲɪˈkof; born 27 September 1973) is a Russian former fencer, five-time Olympian (1992–2008), and five-time Olympic ...
and
Aleksey Yakimenko Aleksey Andreyevich Yakimenko (; born 31 October 1983) is a Russian sabre fencer, eight-time team world champion (2002, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016), eleven-time European champion (team and individual), and team bronze medallist in ...
, after Russia defeated Hungary in the match for the third place. Kovalev took part in the
2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...
in Beijing, but was defeated in the table of 32 by Jaime Martí of Spain. In the team event, Russia were stopped in the semi-finals by the United States, then defeated by Italy in the match for the third place, and Kovalev returned without a medal. In the 2010 World Championships, Russia met Italy in the final. Kovalev came back from 4–15 in the fourth relay to give Russia the lead, scoring 12 hits against Luigi Tarantino. Russia eventually defeated Italy 45 to 41, allowing mates
Aleksey Yakimenko Aleksey Andreyevich Yakimenko (; born 31 October 1983) is a Russian sabre fencer, eight-time team world champion (2002, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016), eleven-time European champion (team and individual), and team bronze medallist in ...
, Artem Zanin,
Veniamin Reshetnikov Veniamin Sergeyevich Reshetnikov (; born 28 July 1986) is a Russian left-handed sabre fencer. Reshetnikov is a two-time team European champion, two-time individual European champion, three-time team world champion, and 2013 individual world cha ...
and Kovalev to take the gold. At the 2011 World Championships they retained the title in men's sabre team defeating
Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
in the final. In the
2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
in London, Kovalev advanced to the semi-finals, where he was defeated by
Áron Szilágyi Áron Szilágyi (; born 14 January 1990) is a Hungarian right-handed sabre fencer. A five-time Olympian, Szilágyi is a three-time individual Olympic champion, 2021 team Olympic bronze medalist, and 2024 team Olympic silver medalist. Szilág ...
of Hungary. He then prevailed over Romania's
Rareș Dumitrescu Rareș Dumitrescu (; born 24 December 1983 in Brașov) is a Romanian sabre fencer, World silver medal in 2009. With the Romanian team he was European champion in 2006, World champion in 2009 and Olympic team silver medal in 2012. Personal life ...
to come away with the bronze medal. He attributed his success to national coach Christian Bauer, who according to him introduced Russia to the world of modern fencing. He received the title of "Honored Master of Sports" for his Olympic performance, but did not particularly enjoy the attention it brought to him, describing the constant interviews and photo shoots as "a horror". In the 2013 World Championships in Budapest, Kovalev made his way to the semi-finals, where he defeated Áron Szilágyi. He then met teammate
Veniamin Reshetnikov Veniamin Sergeyevich Reshetnikov (; born 28 July 1986) is a Russian left-handed sabre fencer. Reshetnikov is a two-time team European champion, two-time individual European champion, three-time team world champion, and 2013 individual world cha ...
, who prevailed 15–13, dooming Kovalev to a silver medal. In the team event, Russia prevailed over reigning Olympic champion South Korea, then defeated Romania to take the gold medal. During the event Kovalev was also elected a member of the International Fencing Federation's athlete commission. As of 2024, he is a coach at West Coast Fencing Academy in Southern California in the United States.


References


External links

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kovalev, Nikolay 1986 births Living people Russian male sabre fencers Olympic fencers for Russia Olympic bronze medalists for Russia Olympic medalists in fencing Fencers at the 2008 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 2012 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 2016 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics Summer World University Games medalists in fencing FISU World University Games gold medalists for Russia World Fencing Championships medalists Medalists at the 2013 Summer Universiade 21st-century Russian sportsmen