Nelli Differt
| Nelli Differt | |||||||||||||||
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_2013.jpg?lang=en) Differt in 2013 | |||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | Nelli Paju 24 July 1990 Haapsalu, Estonia[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Country | Estonia | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Nelli Differt (née Paju; born 24 July 1990) is an Estonian fencer.[2][3][4] A bronze medallist at the 2023 European Championships, Differt competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics, finishing fourth in the women's individual épée.
Biography
[edit]Born Nelli Paju on 24 July 1989,[5] Paju graduated from the Haapsalu Wiedemann Gymnasium in 2009. She began training as a fencer in 2000, under the guidance of Helen Nelis-Naukas. In 2012, she graduated as a physiotherapist from the University of Tartu.[6]
In 2007 Paju won the European Junior Championships in fencing with the Estonia women's team. In 2010 she and the team were successful, winning the World Cadets and Juniors Fencing Championships.[7] She took part in Fencing at the 2015 Summer Universiade, taking home an individual bronze medal in the individual épée on the first day of the competition. It was Estonia's first medal in the sport for ten years.[8]
Differt competed at the 2023 European Fencing Championships in Plovdiv, winning a bronze medal in the women's individual épée event after defeating opponents from Georgia, Estonia, Belgium and France. She lost in the semi-finals to Italian Mara Navarria. At the age of 32, it was her first individual adult medal of her career.[9]
She competed in the women's épée event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, winning three matches to reach the semi finals before losing her last two, to finish fourth overall.[10] Her national coach is fencer Kaido Kaaberma.[11]
Personal life
[edit]Differt is the daughter of Andres and Leelo Paju. She has two siblings.[12] She married Gunnar Differt in 2017, taking his surname.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Nelli Differt". NBC Olympics (in Estonian). 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ Paljasmaa, Alvo (1 June 2024). "Nelli Differt: olümpialane, kes kuulab universumit". Lääne Elu (in Estonian). Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ Arike, Ville (17 June 2023). "Nelli Differt: tahtsin ilusamat värvi medalit, aga ju siis pidi veel seda nälga alles jääma". Postimees (in Estonian). Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- ^ "Olümpiamängude veerandfinalist Differt: tõstsin tempot ja siis hakkasid need torked tulema". Postimees (in Estonian). 27 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- ^ "DIFFERT Nelli". 2024 Summer Olympics. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- ^ "Nelli Differt (Paju)". Läänela (in Estonian). 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ a b "FOTOD | HÕISSA! Eesti vehklemistipp abiellus (3)". Õhtuleht (in Estonian). 3 September 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
- ^ "Nelli Paju pronksmedalist: tundub, et kõik on õnnelikud... mina ka". Eesti Rahvusringhääling (in Estonian). 4 July 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
- ^ "BLOGI | Euroopa kolmas. Nelli Differt võitis 32-aastaselt elu esimese täiskasvanute medali! (6)". delfi.ee (in Estonian). 17 June 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
- ^ "PM PARIISIS ⟩ 32 aastat hiljem. Nelli Differt: neljas koht on jama! (3)". Postimees (in Estonian). 27 July 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
- ^ "Differt, Nelli". International Fencing Federation. 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ "Andres Paju – kuldsete kätega sportlik isa". Lääne Elu (in Estonian). No. 137. 25 November 2017. p. 7. Retrieved 7 April 2025..
