1. Early life and background
Sergey Khodos was born on July 14, 1986, in Oskemen, then part of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. He began his fencing career representing Kazakhstan, competing in various junior and senior international events. During this early period, he achieved significant results, including a team gold medal at the Junior World Fencing Championships in 2006.
2. Fencing career
Sergey Khodos's fencing journey has seen him compete for two different nations and achieve considerable success across various international competitions. He is affiliated with the Central Sports Army Club and SC Vulkan Zvenigorod.
2.1. Early career in Kazakhstan
While representing Kazakhstan, Khodos earned a team bronze medal at the 2006 Asian Games held in Doha, Qatar. The following year, in 2007, he secured an individual silver medal at the Asian Fencing Championships in Nantong, China. These achievements marked his early impact on the international fencing scene before his change of nationality.
2.2. Transition to Russia
In 2010, Sergey Khodos made the transition to represent Russia, joining the Russian national fencing team. This move marked a new chapter in his competitive career, leading to a series of significant accomplishments under the Russian flag.
2.3. Career with Russia
As a member of the Russian national team, Sergey Khodos has accumulated numerous medals and notable performances at the highest levels of international fencing.
2.3.1. Olympic Games
Khodos has competed in two Olympic Games. He participated in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), he was part of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) team that won a silver medal in the men's team épée event. The competition took place in Tokyo, Japan.
2.3.2. World Championships
Sergey Khodos has secured two bronze medals at the World Fencing Championships as part of the Russian team. In 2017, he earned a team épée bronze medal at the championships held in Leipzig, Germany. The following year, in 2018, he contributed to another team épée bronze medal at the World Championships in Wuxi, China. He also finished fourth with the team at the 2010 and 2014 World Championships.
2.3.3. European Championships
Khodos has an impressive record at the European Fencing Championships, with multiple medals including three gold. He first won a team épée bronze medal in 2011 at the championships in Sheffield, United Kingdom. Another team épée bronze followed in 2014 at the event in Strasbourg, France. In 2017, at the championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, he had a highly successful outing, claiming an individual épée bronze medal and a team épée gold medal. He continued his team success, securing team épée gold medals at the 2018 European Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia, and at the 2019 European Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany.
2.3.4. Other international competitions
Beyond the major championships, Khodos has also excelled in other significant international events. At the 2015 European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan, he earned two silver medals: one in the individual épée event and another in the team épée competition. He also secured a team épée gold medal at the 2011 Summer Universiade held in Shenzhen, China. In the FIE Fencing Grand Prix series, Khodos has claimed two individual épée bronze medals: one in Doha, Qatar, in 2010, and another in Budapest, Hungary, in 2018.
3. Personal life
Sergey Khodos stands 6.4 ft (1.94 m) tall and weighs 183 lb (83 kg).