From water to weapon: the reinvention of Mo Byeoli

Fencing is easily among the most popular sports at Rhine Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, with more than 300 student-athletes from around the world giving their all for a chance at gold in the sport.

Inside Messe Essen, the atmosphere is thrilling—cheers and shouts echo from the stands, filling the air with excitement long before the matches begin. Each bout is incredibly fast-paced and can shift in a matter of seconds, so one never really knows who will win until the final point is scored. For those watching, it’s almost impossible to stay calm: every touch is met with gasps and applause, and the intensity keeps everyone completely focused until the very end.

Korea-France thriller

On Monday, 21 July, the women’s foil team semifinal between the Republic of Korea and France was a real highlight and attracted a very enthusiastic crowd. The match was extremely close, with the Koreans winning 32–31.

“The feeling of adrenaline rushing through your body is just amazing,” Mo Byeoli from Team Korea said with a smile.

Mo and her teammates Park, Jihee, Kim Hoyeon and Sim Soeun, went on to dominate Italy 45-26 in the gold-medal final.

For Mo, who never really thought she would one day fight for gold in fencing, reaching the final was not just about winning medals, but also about celebrating her unexpected journey in sports.

A deep dive in the past

Currently 66^th in the International Fencing Federation rankings, Mo has become a consistent competitor on the global stage, earning medals at multiple tournaments each year.

The 21-year-old has always been passionate about sports, but fencing was not her first love. Another discipline held her heart and it had nothing in common with fencing at all.

Mo’s second home was water – she was a passionate diver.  “But my older sister was a fencer. She inspired me to be a fencer like her.”

Mo quit diving because it was less challenging than her current sport and fully focused on foil. “It helps me concentrate,” she said about her love for fencing. “Also I love a challenge. Fighting against somebody is more interesting than diving.”

In the other gold-medal final contested on the penultimate day of fencing at Rhine-Ruhr 2025, Japan edged Hungary 45-44 in men’s épée team.

The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games take place from 16-27 July. Watch all the competitions live on fisu.tv. Click on the link to find the full schedule.

Written by Johanna Horn, EU U-Media Ambassador, Germany

The Young Reporters Programme exemplifies FISU’s commitment to more than sports competitions. At every FISU World University Games, a group of talented aspiring sports journalists are chosen to cover the competition.

We warmly thank FISU Official Partner Qiaodan Ltd. which provides remarkable uniforms to FISU Family and International Technical Officials since 2015. Qiaodan is a valuable partner for FISU as it continued to provide its support during the postponement of events due to the global pandemic, and recently extended the relationship with FISU up to and including 2025.