Key Points
- Only one Olympian and Paralympian in history to clinch medals from Olympic and Paralympic games respectively, Pál Szekeres, has endorsed British fencers, Dimitri Coutya and Piers Gilliver, to win medals in the Para Fencing European Championships Cardiff 2026.
- Szekeres is the winner of Olympic bronze in Olympic Fencing at Seoul 1988 while also having won six medals in Paralympics.
- The Para Fencing European Championships is scheduled to take place at Sport Wales National Centre, Cardiff between 6th October 2026 – 11th October 2026.
- This European Championships serves as the first qualification competition for the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
- For the first time ever, the Para Fencing European Championships is taking place in Cardiff.
- Coutya, who has clinched two Paralympic titles previously, is aiming for his tenth European Championship title. He is a part of fourteen-member British team.
- On the first day of the championship, Coutya competed in British mixed epee and foil teams which bagged two podium finishes.
- The event is being funded by UK Sport through The National Lottery and Welsh Government.
- One of the British athletes endorsed by Pál Szekeres for European Championships is Piers Gilliver.
Cardiff (Wales Times) October 07, 2026 — Olympic and Paralympic fencing trailblazer Pál Szekeres has backed British athletes Dimitri Coutya and Piers Gilliver to succeed at the uk/local/cardiff/">Cardiff 2026 Para Fencing European Championships, as Britain’s para-fencers compete in the first European-based qualification event for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
As reported by the Daily Star, Szekeres the only athlete to have won medals at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games has endorsed the British pair ahead of the championship in Cardiff. Szekeres won fencing bronze at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games before adding six Paralympic medals to his career record.
The Hungarian athlete’s endorsement comes as British Fencing competes at the Sport Wales National Centre, where the Para Fencing European Championships began on 6 October and run until 11 October. The competition brings together athletes from across Europe and carries particular importance because it is the first European-based qualification fixture for LA 2028.
Why is Cardiff hosting the European Championships?
Cardiff is hosting the Para Fencing European Championships for the first time. The event is taking place at the Sport Wales National Centre in Pontcanna, with sessions scheduled each day from 9am to 8pm between 6 and 11 October.
British Fencing said the championships are supported by funding from UK Sport through The National Lottery and the Welsh Government. The tournament is also the first European-based qualification event ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games, giving European athletes an early opportunity to pursue qualification places.
The schedule includes individual and team events across epee, foil and sabre. The opening day featured the epee mixed team and foil mixed team competitions, while later days include men’s and women’s individual events and team competitions in epee and sabre.
Can Dimitri Coutya win a tenth European title?
Dimitri Coutya enters the championships as one of Britain’s most experienced para-fencers and is targeting a landmark tenth European crown. As reported by The Independent, the 28-year-old two-time Paralympic champion is also embracing a role in nurturing the next generation of British talent.
Coutya is part of a 14-strong British team competing in Cardiff. He began the championships positively: as reported by the Daily Mirror, he was part of the British mixed epee and foil teams that claimed two podium finishes on the opening day.
The British team also includes Piers Gilliver, whom Szekeres has backed for European Championship success. British Fencing’s event listing identifies 14 home fencers competing at the continental showpiece, with athletes from across Europe taking part.
What makes Pál Szekeres’s support significant?
Szekeres occupies a distinctive place in Olympic and Paralympic history. He won bronze in fencing at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games and subsequently won six Paralympic medals, making him the only athlete to have achieved medals at both Games.
His backing of Coutya and Gilliver adds a high-profile endorsement to Britain’s campaign in Cardiff. The Daily Star reported that Szekeres supported the British fencers’ prospects at the European Championships, while the Lancashire Telegraph similarly reported that he had backed Coutya and Gilliver for European Championship glory.
The championships provide a major stage for para-fencers seeking to build momentum towards LA 2028. For British athletes, the home venue and the qualification significance make the Cardiff event an important early marker in the Paris-to-Los Angeles Paralympic cycle.
How is Britain performing in Cardiff?
Britain made a successful start to the championships on 6 October. Coutya was part of the mixed epee and foil teams that each finished on the podium, according to the Daily Mirror.
The result gave the British team early momentum in a competition that will determine important qualification opportunities for LA 2028. The championships continue through 11 October, with individual and team titles still to be decided.
British Fencing’s coverage of the event describes the championships as a week-long competition at the Sport Wales National Centre. The event listing also confirms that the Cardiff championships are the first Para Fencing European Championships to be held in the Welsh capital.
Background of the development
The Cardiff 2026 Para Fencing European Championships are being held from 6 to 11 October at the Sport Wales National Centre. The event is the first European-based qualification fixture ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games and the first time the European Championships have been hosted in Cardiff.
The championships receive support from UK Sport through The National Lottery and the Welsh Government. Fourteen British fencers are competing, including Dimitri Coutya, Piers Gilliver, Emily Holder and a 23-year-old Sunderland fencer who graduated from Durham University this summer.
Pál Szekeres’s connection to the sport spans both Olympic and Paralympic competition. He won Olympic fencing bronze at Seoul 1988 and later collected six Paralympic medals, giving his endorsement of Britain’s Coutya and Gilliver particular historical resonance.
Prediction: What could this mean for British para-fencing?
For British para-fencers, a strong result in Cardiff could strengthen their position in the early stages of qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games. The championships are the first European-based qualification event of the LA 2028 cycle, so performances and results in Cardiff may influence athletes’ qualification pathways.
For British fans and the wider fencing community, the event offers an opportunity to see a 14-strong home team compete on British soil in a major continental championship. Coutya’s pursuit of a tenth European title, alongside the early team podiums, gives British supporters a clear focus for the remainder of the competition.
For young and aspiring para-fencers in Wales and across the United Kingdom, the presence of the championships in Cardiff may raise the visibility of the sport during a week when elite international competition is taking place locally. The event’s support from UK Sport, The National Lottery and the Welsh Government also highlights the institutional backing behind the championships and British athletes’ preparations.
