LAUSANNE, Switz., June 21, 2024 – The FIE is saddened to learn of the passing of Guram Kostava (GEO) at the age of 87, a world champion and Olympic medallist.
Fencing on the Soviet team, Kostava earned two World Championships gold medals in men’s team epee in 1961 and 1967. He also earned two Olympic bronze medals, one in team (Rome, 1960) and another in individual (Tokyo, 1964). Also in team epee he earned a World Championships silver medal in 1959, followed by bronze medals in 1963 and 1965.
Kostava was champion of the Soviet Union in men’s individual epee (1961) and earned five silver medals (1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1968) and five bronze medals (1957, 1958, 1960, 1965, 1967). He was the Soviet Union Cup winner in 1960 and named a “knight of sports” in 2016.
“After leaving his active sports career with glory, Guram Kostava was always where Georgian fencing needed him”, stated the Georgian Fencing Federation. “He was extremely fond of fencing and a fan of every fencer.”
Kostava was born in Tbilisi, Georgia on June 18, 1937. He graduated from the Institute of Physical Culture of Georgia.