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As part of the Performance Pact agreed with the French Handisport Federation, the support from the Sicame Endowment Fund to the young épéeist Yannick Ifébé has already been crowned with success!

Yannick has just won three medals at the world fencing championship, held in Rome (Italy) from 7 to 12 November 2017. On 12 November, he was crowned world runner-up in the épée team event with his team mates during the sixth and final day of competition as well as a category B Bronze double in épée and sabre. So he took the first two individual medals of his career at the World Championships, where more than fifteen countries competed.

In the Individual Épée competition, Yannick finished 2nd in his pool with 4 victories in 5 fights. Then in the final table, he reached the quarter finals easily, by just winning 15 touches to 14 against the Latvian, Olegs Garkuls-Gurevics, world  number 50. In the semi-final, Yannick went down 15 touches to 13 against the Italian, Alessio Sarri, world number 18. By winning his first individual medal, he confirmed his position as European 2016 category B épée champion; Yannick is currently world épée number 4.

Yannick Ifébé took a second Bronze medal during the third day of this Italian world championship, in the ‘Individual Sabre - category 2’ competition. Yannick, world number 13 in this speciality, finished 1st in his pool with 5 victories in 5 fights. In the last sixteen he beat the Italian Marco Cima (world no.37) by 15 touches to 14. In the quarter final, he again won by 15 touches to 14 against the Pole, Adrian Castro (world no.3). In the semi-final, Yannick went down 15 touches to 10 against the Russian, Albert Kamalov (world no.7).

The French épée team, ranked second in the world, consists of Robert Citerne, Romain Noble and Yannick Ifébé; they won the Silver medal in the ‘team épée’ championship during the sixth and final day of the competition.

Russia took the title of world champion for 2017, against France who were world champions in 2015. France finished these world championships with a total of 4 medals (1 silver and 3 bronze). The French team and Yannick Ifébé qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, with the 2024 Paris games in the background.