1. Overview
Azza Besbes (عزة بسباسAzza BesbesArabic, born November 28, 1990, in Tunis) is a prominent Tunisian sabre fencer. She is recognized as a five-time African champion and has significantly participated in three Olympic Games: the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, finishing 7th, 9th, and 5th respectively. Her consistent high-level performance has established her as a leading figure in Tunisian sports.
2. Personal life
Besbes was born on November 28, 1990, in Tunis, Tunisia. She grew up in a family deeply involved in sports. Her father, Ali, was a former basketball player who later became a physical education teacher. Her mother, Hayet Ben Ghazi, was a former foil fencer and went on to become an international referee. Before Azza's birth, her parents had settled in Abu Dhabi. They encouraged all their children-daughters Azza, Sarra, Héla, and Rym, and son Ahmed Aziz-to take up fencing. Her sister, Sarra Besbes, also competed at the international level, participating in the women's épée event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
3. Career
Azza Besbes's professional fencing career spans from her early introduction to the sport to her significant international achievements across various competitions, showcasing her development and consistent performance on the global stage.
3.1. Early career and training
Azza Besbes began her fencing journey at the age of six. She was initially introduced to the foil, but she found the weapon to be too quiet for her preference. Consequently, she transitioned to sabre fencing under the guidance of coach Yan Nowara. At the age of ten, she joined the Tunis Air Club, where she trained until 2005. The fencing section of the club was eventually closed due to a lack of funds, leading her to continue her training with the Tunisian national team for the next two years.
To further her development, Besbes moved to France. There, she first joined the Cercle d'Escrime in Orléans, and subsequently, the US Metro club in Paris. Both clubs specialized in sabre fencing, providing her with a focused training environment. Her training in France was supported by a scholarship from the Tunisian Ministry of Youth and Sports. During this period, she was also invited to share training sessions with the French national team, which contributed to her growth as an athlete. In her early career, she achieved a top-8 finish at the Junior World Fencing Championships in Belek and secured a silver medal at the 2007 All-Africa Games held in Algiers.
3.2. Olympic participation
Azza Besbes has represented Tunisia in three Olympic Games, consistently achieving high rankings in the women's sabre individual events.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics:**
Besbes qualified for the individual women's sabre event at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as the top-ranked fencer from the African zone. In her opening match, she defeated Jyoti Chetty of South Africa. She then advanced by defeating Léonore Perrus of France in the Round of 32. In the Round of 16, she faced Olga Ovtchinnikova of Canada. This bout was notably affected by technical glitches, including an instance where a hit by Ovtchinnikova did not register on the electrical apparatus and was ultimately denied. After the technical issues were resolved, Besbes mounted an impressive comeback, scoring ten consecutive hits to win the bout. At just 18 years old, she made history by becoming the first female African athlete to reach an Olympic quarter-final in fencing. In the quarter-final, she competed against the then-World No.1, Rebecca Ward of the United States. Besbes initially held a 9-6 lead, but Ward managed to level the score and eventually took a 14-12 advantage. Besbes fought back to 14-all by the end of the fencing time. The decisive final hit required a lengthy video review, which ultimately awarded the point to Ward, resulting in Besbes's narrow 14-15 defeat. She finished the competition ranked 7th.
- 2012 London Olympics:**
Besbes qualified for the women's sabre individual event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London as the top-ranked African fencer, competing alongside fellow Tunisian Amira Ben Chaabane. In the Round of 32, she defeated Au Sin Ying of Hong Kong with a score of 15-13. However, in the Round of 16, she was defeated by American fencer Dagmara Wozniak with a score of 13-15. She concluded her participation in the Games ranked 9th.
- 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics:**
Besbes once again qualified for the individual women's sabre event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She advanced to the quarter-finals of the competition. In her quarter-final match, she narrowly lost to French fencer Manon Brunet with a score of 14-15. Her strong performance earned her a 5th-place ranking, which remains her highest Olympic finish to date.
3.3. World Championships and World Cup
Azza Besbes has achieved notable success in various major international fencing competitions, including the World Fencing Championships and the Fencing World Cup series, consistently demonstrating her prowess on the global stage.
During the 2008-09 season, she secured a top-8 finish at the Ghent World Cup event. The following year, at the 2010 World Fencing Championships held in Paris, she reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Olena Khomrova of Ukraine. The 2010-11 season marked a significant milestone for Besbes as she earned her first World Cup medal, a bronze, at the Bologna World Cup. She also achieved a last-16 finish at the 2011 World Fencing Championships in Catania. These consistent performances led her to achieve a career-best World No. 8 ranking by the end of the 2010-11 season, a standing she maintained as of 2015. In 2017, she achieved a historic feat by finishing 2nd at the World Championships in Leipzig, thus becoming the first Tunisian fencer to earn the title of vice-world champion.
3.4. Continental and other championships
Azza Besbes has demonstrated significant dominance in African fencing and achieved notable success in other regional multi-sport events throughout her career.
She is a five-time champion of the African Fencing Championships. Her victories include a gold medal at the African Championships in Dakar in 2009 and another gold in Cairo in 2011, where she regained her African crown. She also secured a silver medal at the African Championships held in Tunis in 2010. At the 2007 All-Africa Games in Algiers, she earned a silver medal. In 2018, she further added to her accolades by winning the gold medal at the Mediterranean Games held in Tarragona, Spain.
4. Awards and honors
Azza Besbes has accumulated several significant awards and honors throughout her distinguished fencing career, marking her as a pioneering figure in Tunisian and African sports.
In 2017, she achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Tunisian fencer to earn the title of vice-world champion, securing a silver medal at the World Championships in Leipzig. This achievement also made her the only Tunisian fencer to have won a medal at the World Championships across all three age categories: junior, cadet, and senior. Her consistent high-level performance on the international circuit led her to a career-best World No. 8 ranking by the end of the 2010-11 season, a testament to her global standing in the sport. Furthermore, her achievement of reaching the Olympic quarter-finals at the 2008 Beijing Games, at the age of 18, established her as the first female African athlete to do so in fencing, marking a pioneering milestone for African representation in the sport.