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Sofia Velikaya

Sofiya Velikaya
Sofiya Velikaya 2014 European Championships SFS-EQ t175801.jpg
Velikaya at the 2014 European Championships
Personal information
Full name Sofiya Aleksandrovna Velikaya
Born (1985-06-08) 8 June 1985 (age 32)
Alma-Ata, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union
Weapon(s) Sabre
Hand right-handed
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight 68 kg (150 lb)
National coach(es) Christian Bauer(national), Dmitry Glotov(personal)
Club MGFSO/CSKA Moscow
FIE Ranking current ranking
Medal record
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
Silver medal – second place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Individual
Silver medal – second place 2012 London Individual
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2004 New York Team
Gold medal – first place 2010 Paris Team
Gold medal – first place 2011 Catania Individual
Gold medal – first place 2011 Catania Team
Gold medal – first place 2012 Kiev Team
Gold medal – first place 2015 Moscow Individual
Gold medal – first place 2015 Moscow Team
Silver medal – second place 2005 Leipzig Individual
Silver medal – second place 2005 Leipzig Team
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Turin Team
Bronze medal – third place 2007 St.Petersburg Team
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Paris Individual
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2003 Bourges Team
Gold medal – first place 2004 Copenhagen Team
Gold medal – first place 2006 İzmir Individual
Gold medal – first place 2006 İzmir Team
Gold medal – first place 2008 Kiev Individual
Gold medal – first place 2014 Strasbourg Team
Gold medal – first place 2015 Montreux Individual
Gold medal – first place 2016 Toruń Individual
Gold medal – first place 2016 Toruń Team
Silver medal – second place 2005 Zalaegerszeg Individual
Silver medal – second place 2007 Ghent Individual
Silver medal – second place 2010 Leipzig Individual
Silver medal – second place 2010 Leipzig Team

Sofiya Aleksandrovna Velikaya (Russian: Софья Александровна Великая; born 8 June 1985) is a Russian sabre fencer, Olympic gold and silver medalist, seven-times World champion and nine-times European champion. Velikaya finally collected her first Olympic gold medal with her team at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Velikaya began fencing at the age of 13 after her elder brother took up the sport. Her first coach was Valery Dyakokin.

She placed fourth in the 2008 Beijing Games after losing to Rebecca Ward by one point in the bronze medal match. On October 12, 2011, she became the World Champion after beating two-time Olympic champion Mariel Zagunis in the final. One year after, she took part in the Summer Olympics in London, where she advanced to finals after defeating Olga Kharlan of Ukraine. She lost however to South Korea's Kim Ji-yeon and captured silver.

After the Olympics Velikaya took a break in her career. She gave birth to Oleg, with Olympic wrestler Aleksey Mishin. She came back to international competition in March 2014 at the Antalya World Cup, where she was defeated in the second round by Hungary's Anna Várhelyi. At the European Championships in Strasbourg, she was stopped in the second round again, this time by Italy's Rossella Gregorio. In the team event, Russia defeated Germany and Hungary to meet France in the final. After being led 30–35 Russia overcame France in the last two relays to win the gold medal. At the World Championships in Kazan Velikaya made her way to the quarter-finals, where she met reigning World champion Olga Kharlan of Ukraine. After a good beginning Velikaya could not prevent Kharlan's comeback and was defeated 9–15. She was however pleased by her return to form. In the team event, Russia overcame Canada easily in the round of 16 and met France in the quarter-finals. Surprised by France's outright attack, Russia did not manage to regain control and suffered a shock 41–45 defeat. They entered placement rounds and finished 5th after prevailing over South Korea and Poland.


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