Iran’s Pakdaman drops to 11th in FIE World Ranking
Iranian fencer Ali Pakdaman descended by two spots to sit 11th in the men’s senior saber category of the FIE World Rankings.
The latest ranking was released after the conclusion of the Grand Prix Nuoma in France, where Pakdaman, 34, defeated Polish fencer Marcel Broniszewski 15-13 but suffered a 15-9 loss to Yago Moran of Spain in the round of 32.
South Korea’s Oh Sang-uk – a team and individual gold medalist at the Paris Olympics – topped the ranking, with Tunisian Farès Ferjani, who was beaten by the South Korean in the Olympic final, and Ziad Elsissy of Egypt in the following spots.
Pakdaman was part of the Iranian men’s saber squad that reached the team semifinals at the Paris Games, but missed out on the podium after a last-four defeat against Hungary was followed by a loss to the host in the bronze medal contest.
Pakdaman then spearheaded the country to a team silver medal at the at the FIE Coupe du Monde last month, courtesy of defeat against South Korea in the final showpiece in Oran, Algeria.