Palma: Taiwanese fencer Chen Chih-chieh made history on Sunday by finishing fifth in a men’s individual foil World Cup event in Spain. This achievement marks the first time a Taiwanese fencer has advanced to the quarterfinals of an International Fencing Federation (FIE) World Cup competition.

According to Focus Taiwan, at the Coupe du Monde Ciutat de Palma, 24-year-old Chen reached the quarterfinals but was defeated by Hungary’s Gergo Szemes, who ultimately secured second place behind the Czech Republic’s Alexander Choupenitch. Despite this setback, Chen accumulated enough points to secure fifth place overall, setting a new benchmark for Taiwanese fencers at an FIE World Cup event.

During the tournament held from November 6-9 in Palma, Chen showcased his skills by defeating China’s Lyu Weiqiao, South Korea’s Choi Min Seo, and Japan’s Kyota Kawamura. Prior to this event, Chen had also achieved victory at the Singapore Foil Satellite tournament on October 11 and contributed to Taiwan’s men’s foil team winning bronze at the 2025 Asian Fencing Championships in Bali, Indonesia, where he individually placed fifth.

Chen’s coach, Chen Po-huai, commended his performance and expressed optimism that this success would inspire both Chen and his teammates. Chen is scheduled to participate in the men’s foil team event later on Sunday and will subsequently focus on the upcoming FIE Senior World Cup in Fukuoka, Japan, from December 5 to 7.

Chen has previously articulated his ambition to qualify for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya and to secure Taiwan’s first-ever fencing medal at the event.