Evann Girault
| Evann Girault | |
|---|---|
| Born | 25 August 2004 Orléans, France |
| Sport | |
| Country |  Niger |
| Sport | Fencing |
| Weapon | Sabre |
| Hand | right-handed |
| Club | Cercle d'Escrime Orléanais |
Evann Jean Abba Girault (born 25 August 2004) is a French-Nigerien sabre fencer. He qualified to represent Niger at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Biography[edit]
Girault was born on 25 August 2004 in Orléans, France, to a French father and Nigerien mother.[1] He holds dual citizenship.[1] He grew up in Orléans and competed in gymnastics as a youth for seven or eight years.[1] His brother was a fencer, and after watching him participate at various events, he decided to try out the sport himself.[1] He joined the fencing club Cercle d'Escrime Orléanais in 2015.[2]
Girault competes in sabre fencing events and is right-handed.[3] In addition to competing at tournaments in France, he started competing internationally in 2021, choosing to represent Niger.[1] He was ranked 119th globally in the junior rankings for the 2021–22 season and competed at several events with his brother.[1][3] He was 8th at the African Senior Championships in 2022 and then won silver at the African Junior Championships in 2023, while being 5th at the World Junior Championships.[1] He was ranked 13th by the FIE globally for juniors for the 2022–23 season and ranked 43rd in the seniors category for that year.[3]
Girault studies at the University of Orléans, where he won the French university national championship in 2023.[4] He represented Niger at the Fencing World Cup in November 2023 and later won the silver medal at the African Cadet and Juniors Fencing Championship in March 2023.[5][6] By February 2024, he was ranked 8th in the global junior rankings and 41st in the senior rankings.[5] He participated at the African Olympic qualifying tournament in April 2024 and defeated Algerian Zacharia Bounachada in the final by a score of 15–10, securing a spot at the 2024 Summer Olympics representing Niger.[7] He became the first person representing Niger to qualify for the Olympics in fencing.[6][7]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g "Evann Girault (Abba), le porte-flambeau de l'escrime nigérienne" [Evann Girault (Abba), the torchbearer of Nigerien fencing] (in French). Agence Nigérienne de Presse. 23 June 2023 – via archive.ph.
- ^ "Escrime : deux sabreurs d'Orléans de plus qualifiés pour les Jeux olympiques de Paris !" [Fencing: two more Orléans sabers qualified for the Paris Olympic Games!]. La République du Centre (in French). 28 April 2024.
- ^ a b c "Evann Girault". Fédération Internationale d'Escrime.
- ^ "Evann Girault champion de France universitaire au sabre !" [Evann Girault French university saber champion!] (in French). University of Orléans. 19 April 2023 – via archive.ph.
- ^ a b Sourou, Helene (9 February 2024). "Evann Abba Girault : un espoir de l'escrime en quête de soutien" [Evann Abba Girault: a fencing hopeful in search of support]. Journal du Niger (in French).
- ^ a b "Escrime : Le franco-nigérien Evann Abba Girault à « un pas » d'une qualification historique !" [Fencing: Franco-Nigerien Evann Abba Girault “one step” away from historic qualification!]. L'Autre Républicain (in French). 28 April 2024.
- ^ a b "Tournoi qualificatif Africain Olympique d'Escrime à Alger : Evann Abba Girault, qualifié pour les J.O de Paris !" [African Olympic Fencing Qualification Tournament in Algiers: Evann Abba Girault, qualified for the Paris Olympics!]. L'Autre Républicain (in French). 30 April 2024.