Portugal reached an unprecedented feat in World Championship Fencing held in Turin earlier this month. For the first time in the history of the National Fencing a Portuguese won a medal in this case the silver. Joaquim Videira shooter with 22 years, reached the final of Sword surpassed by Chinese vice Olympic champion, Lei Wang, just one touch. Managed well to get to second top of the podium and, more importantly, bring to Portugal a Silver Medal. This World Cup was dominated again by the Italians, French, Hungarian, Russian and German. The Chinese, Americans and South Koreans were also highlighted.
Joaquim Videira was greeted by friends and colleagues at Portela Airport in party and was quite amazed blurting out that he was "still living a dream." He also said that the medal was "the reward for all sacrifices, is only the beginning of a long road to achieve the objective that is the Olympics."
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The provision of the Portuguese delegation in other disciplines, Sabre and Foil not had the same impact, which is not surprising given the lack of sponsorship which condition the preparation for events of this size. We can only hope that we Beijing Games in 2008 results will be even better but if we could bring a medal in fencing would be a done since the last and only, Portuguese medal dates back to 1928 in Amsterdam. At the time a bronze medal teams, also in Sword, achieved by Paulo d'Eça Leal, Mario de Noronha, Jorge Paiva Frederico Paredes, João Sassetti and Henrique da Silveira.
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