Martina Batini
Martina Batini is an Italian foil fencer, who won the individual silver medal and team gold medal in the 2014 European Fencing Championships.Career
Batini first competed both in foil and épée as a child, then specialized in foil. She won in 2006 the gold medal both in the Cadets Italian National Championships and the Cadets World Championships at Taebaek City. In 2008, she became Junior European Champion at Amsterdam. The year after, she won the U23 European Championship in Debrecen and took the third place at the Junior World Championships in Belfast.
Amongst seniors, she made her breakthrough during the 2013–14 season. She took her first World Cup with a gold medal in Tauberbischofsheim after defeating reigning World champion Arianna Errigo and reigning Olympic champion Elisa Di Francisca. A week later she won the National Italian Championships in Acireale. She also took a bronze medal at the SK Trophée in Seoul. In the 2014 European Championships in Strasbourg, she met Di Francisca in the final. Batini took a 5–1 lead, but Di Francisca scored 14 hits in a row, dooming Batini to the silver medal. In the team event, the “Dream Team” formed by Di Francisca, Errigo, Valentina Vezzali and Batini were largely given favourites, having won gold in every World Cup of the season. They cruised to the final and met Russia, who kept them at bay for the first six relays. In her last leg, Batini prevailed 7–4, giving Italy the lead for the first time in the match. A 10-hit rally by Di Francisca in the last bout allowed Italy to retain the European title.
Batini obtained in 2014 a master's degree in engineering management from the University of Pisa. Her sister Camilla is an épée fencer.
