Julia Beljajeva

Julia Beljajeva
File:Julia Beljajeva podium 2013 Fencing WCH EFS-IN t214546.jpg At the 2013 World Fencing Championships
Personal information
Born	(1992-07-21) 21 July 1992 Tartu, Estonia
Weapon(s)	épée
Hand	right-handed
Height
Weight	60 kg (130 lb; 9.4 st)
Club	Tartu Kalev
Head coach(es)	Natalja Kotova
FIE Ranking	current ranking
Medal record Women's épée Representing Estonia World Championships 2013 Budapest Individual 2014 Kazan Team épée European Games 2015 Baku Team épée European Championships 2013 Zagreb Team épée 2015 Montreux Team épée 2012 Legnano Team épée

Julia Beljajeva (born 21 July 1992) is an Estonian épée fencer, 2013 world champion and 2014 team world silver medallist.

Career

Beljajeva (R) fences Russia's Sivkova in the final of the 2013 World Fencing Championships

Beljajeva took up fencing when she was ten years old at the suggestion of her aunt. Her first significant award was a bronze medal in the Nordic Cadet Championships, followed in 2008 by a silver medal, then a gold medal in 2009 in the Cadet European Championships.

In the senior category, she was a member of the Estonia team that won the bronze medal in women's team épée at 2012 European Championships in Legnano and the gold medal at the 2013 European Championships in Zagreb. Ranked 69th in the International Fencing Federation's rankings, she created an upset by defeating 15–14 world No. 1 Ana Maria Brânză in the quarter-finals of the 2013 World Fencing Championships. She then prevailed 14–13 world over No.5 Emese Szász and defeated 15–14 world No.4 Anna Sivkova to win the gold medal and Estonia's second world title in épée. She finished the 2012–13 season ranked 9th, a career best as of 2014.

In the 2013–14 season Beljajeva climbed her first World Cup with a silver medal in the Doha Grand Prix, followed by a quarter-finals placing in Barcelona. At the European Championships in Strasbourg, she lost in the second round to Switzerland's Tiffany Géroudet. In the team event, Estonia were defeated by Russia in the semi-finals, then by Italy and finished 4th. At the World Championships in Kazan she was overcome in the table of 16 by team-mate Erika Kirpu, who eventually earned a bronze medal, and could not defend her title. In the team event, Estonia took their revenge against Italy in the semi-finals, prevailing 42–32, but lost to Russia in the final and ended up with a silver medal. Beljajeva finished the season No.16.

External links

• Profile at the European Fencing Confederation

Awards
Preceded by Triin Aljand	Estonian Sportswoman of the Year 2013	Succeeded by Erika Kirpu