Fares Arfa Explained

Fares Arfa (born October 16, 1994) is a Canadian fencer in the sabre discipline.^[1] Arfa has won multiple medals at the Pan American level.

Career

Arfa's first major international result came in 2014, when he won the gold medal at the Pan American Junior Fencing Championships in Guatemala City.^[2] Arfa was part of the last five Pan American Fencing Championships sabre team who won the silver medal, losing to the United States each time.^[3] At the 2022 World Fencing Championships in Cairo, Egypt, Arfa finished 16th in the individual event, the highest placing for Arfa at the event.^[4]

Pan American Games

Arfa has won a medal of each colour at the Pan American Games. Arfa made his Pan American Games debut at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, where he won the silver medal in the team sabre event. Four years later Arfa was named to his second Pan American Games team.^[5] At the 2023 Pan American Games, Arfa won the gold medal in the men's team sabre event and the bronze medal in the individual event.^[6]

2024 Olympics

In 2024, Arfa helped Canada qualify a sabre team for the 2024 Summer Olympics for the first time since 1996.^{[7] [8]} Arfa was officially named to Canada's 2024 Olympic team in April 2024.^{[9] [10]} In the first round of the men's individual sabre competition, Arfa defeated three-time reigning Olympic champion Áron Szilágyi of Hungary by 15-8, serving Szilágyi his first Olympic defeat since 2008.^[11] He then won his second round match against Boladé Apithy of France by 15-8 before falling in the quarterfinal 13-15 to the South Korean former world champion and eventual gold medalist Oh Sang-uk.^[12]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Fares Arfa. Canadian Olympic Committee. 14 April 2024.
2. Web site: Two Ohio State Fencers Earn Gold at Pan Am Junior Championships – Ohio State Buckeyes. 28 February 2014. www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/. Ohio State University. 14 April 2024.
3. News: French. Farès Arfa in constant progress. 10 May 2023. Farès Arfa en constante progression. Laval Courier. Laval, Quebec. 14 April 2024.
4. News: Farès Arfa proud of his 16th place at the World Championships. French. 18 July 2022. Farès Arfa fier de sa 16e place aux Championnats du monde. Radio Canada. Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 14 April 2024.
5. 6 September 2023. Canada’s Santiago 2023 fencing team announced. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Canadian Olympic Committee. 14 April 2024.
6. Web site: Brazil and Canada Claim the Final Gold Medals in Fencing. 4 November 2023. www.panamsports.org/. Panam Sports. 14 April 2024.
7. News: Paris 2024 : découvrez Farès Arfa. French. 2 April 2024. Paris 2024: discover Farès Arfa. Radio Canada. Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 14 April 2024.
8. News: French. Farès Arfa and the Canadian sabers qualified for the Olympics. Farès Arfa et les sabreurs canadiens qualifiés pour les JO. Laval Courier. Laval, Quebec. 14 April 2024.
9. Web site: Fenton. Caela. Team Canada announces fencing team for Paris 2024. Canadian Olympic Committee. 25 April 2024. 11 May 2024.
10. Web site: Nerestant. Antoni. 29 Olympics, no medals? No problem. Quebec-led fencing squad hungry for history. 26 April 2024. www.cbc.ca/sports/. CBC News. 11 May 2024.
11. Web site: 2024-07-27 . Historic Olympic streak ends in a shock upset as Hungarian fencer Aron Szilagyi is finally beaten . 2024-07-27 . kgw.com . en-US.
12. Web site: Press . The Canadian . 2024-07-27 . Canadian fencer Arfa stopped in quarterfinal after upset win over defending champ . 2024-07-27 . Toronto Star . en.