Mariel Zagunis (USA – Beaverton, OR) used a 4 point run to take an 8-4 lead at the break and maintained the 4 touch margin to defeat world #2 Olga Kharlan (UKR) 15-11 in the gold medal match. Zagunis held onto her #1 seed to repeat as Women’s Sabre World Champion.
In the men’s sabre event Woo Young Won (KOR) defeated #2 seed Nicolas Limbach (GER) 15-9 in the gold medal bout. Won was the underdog, entering the table of 32 as the #20 seed, but looked in championship form as he led Limbach 8-1 at the break.
Zagunis started the day winning her first bout 15-10 against Margarita Tschomakova (BUL). She then defeated Irene Di Transo (ITA) 15-6, Canada’s Olga Ovtchinnikova 15-9, Caroline Vergne (FRA) 15-9, and Olena Khomrova (UKR) 15-6.
Other fencers for the United States included Ibtihaj Muhammad (14th), Dagmara Wozniak (19th) and Daria Schneider (44th).
Upsets Abound in Men’s Sabre
Men’s Sabre featured a number of upsets as the top 8 featured 5 fencers seeded 10th or lower at the start of the day. The #1 seed, Eun Seok Oh (KOR) was taken out by Alexey Yakimenko (RUS) in the round of 16, #3 seed Bon Gil Gu (KOR) lost in the round of 32 and #4 Rares Dumitrescu (ROM) fell to Dmitri Lapkes (BLR) in the 32.
Daryl Homer led the US effort with a 12th place finish, losing in the round of 16 to #2 seed Nicolas Limbach (GER). Earlier in the day Homer had defeated home-town favorites Bolande Apithy (FRA), and Nicolas Lopez (FRA) before falling to Limbach. Tim Morehouse, James Williams, and Ben Igoe each fell in the round of 64.
Daryl Homer finished 12th, Tim Morehouse 42nd, James Williams 48th and Ben Igoe 63rd.
