Members of the Fencing Club celebrating their men’s and women’s team championships at the All Japan Student Fencing Championships
The Fencing Club won the men’s foil and women’s épée events at the 76th All Japan Student Fencing Championships held on June 14.
The All Japan Student Fencing Championships is the highest-level collegiate team fencing competition in Japan, with participation limited to the first- and second-place teams from the Kanto and Kansai Intercollegiate Leagues. The tournament brings together the strongest university teams in the country to determine the national champion.
The men’s foil team won the Kanto Intercollegiate League this spring and went on to defeat Hosei University 45-26 in the final of the Championships. The women’s épée team, which won the Kanto Intercollegiate League for the fourth consecutive year, defeated Hosei University 45-40 in the final, demonstrating its strength on the national stage.
With these victories, both the men’s foil and women’s épée teams completed a double crown by winning both the Kanto Intercollegiate League and the national championship. Meiji University also achieved a men’s-and-women’s double championship through the success of the men’s foil and women’s épée teams.
In last year’s Kanto Intercollegiate Fencing Championships and All Japan Intercollegiate Fencing Championships, the men’s foil team finished behind strong rival Hosei University. This season, however, the team won the Kanto Student League title and went on to defeat Hosei University in the national championship final, demonstrating its remarkable growth and overall team strength.
Reflecting on the tournament, Head Coach HIROSE Koji said, “As this competition determines the top university team in Japan, we were determined to win.” He also praised the athletes, noting that “their daily efforts have enabled them to perform at their highest level, and the overall strength of the team has improved.”
HONMA Mizuki, a second-year student in the School of Political Science and Economics and a member of the women’s épée team, commented, “Meiji University’s greatest strength is its teamwork,” emphasizing that the team’s unity was a key factor behind the victory.
Men’s foil captain TAKAHASHI Koki said, “We are aiming to win five titles this season,” while women’s épée captain KISHIMOTO Rin added, “We will do our best to capture the remaining three titles.”
HONMA Mizuki (left) on the attack, capitalizing on an opening in her opponent’s defense