Kamil Ibragimov


Kamil Anvarovich Ibragimov is a Russian sabre fencer, winning a team gold medal in the 2013 World Fencing Championships and bronze medal in 2014 European Fencing Championships.

Personal life

Ibragimov is the son of foil fencers Anvar Ibragimov and Olga Velichko. He spent his childhood rubbing shoulders with champions such as four-time Olympic champion Stanislav Pozdnyakov, known to him as "Uncle Stas". He began fencing at the age of seven under the guidance of 1992 Olympic champion Aleksandr Shirshov, who remains his personal coach.
Ibragimov is married to former sabre fencer Anna German. He was educated at the Smolensk State Academy of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Career

Ibragimov won in 2009 the Cadets World Fencing Championships in Belfast. In the same time, he began competing in a few senior events. In 2010 he won the 2010 Junior European Championships in Athens. The year after, he won the U23 European Championships at Kazan both in the individual and in the team event.
Amongst seniors, he made his breakthrough during the 2012–13 season, when he climbed his first World Cup podium with a gold medal in the Glaive d'Asparoukh after defeating Romania's Tiberiu Dolniceanu in the final. That same year, he won the Junior World Championship in Poreč and the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan. At the World Championships in Budapest, he was eliminated in the second round by Max Hartung of Germany. In the team event, where Ibragimov stood as reserve, Russia won the gold medal after prevailing over Romania in the final. Ibragimov finished the season No.15 in FIE world rankings.
In the 2014 European Championships at Strasbourg, Ibragimov made his way to the semi-finals where he was stopped by team-mate Aleksey Yakimenko and came away with the bronze medal. In the team event, Russia met Italy in the final. The Italians gained a 5-hit lead after the 7th relay. Despite individual victories in the two last legs, Russia could not bridge the gap and were defeated 44–45. A month after, in the World Championships at Kazan, Ibragimov was defeated in the second round by Nicolas Limbach of Germany. The team event was Ibragimov's first time as a full member of the side. World No.1 Russia met Germany in the semi-finals. Selected to close the match instead of captain Nikolay Kovalev, Ibragimov could not prevent Germany from winning 45–40. They met Hungary in the small final, but were defeated once again and came away with no medal.
In the 2014–15 season Ibragimov won the Trofeo Luxardo in Padova after seeing off Ukraine's Andriy Yagodka in the final.