It was the most exciting bout fenced tonight. A replay of the gold medal match from 2008 brought Valentina Vezzali (ITA) against Hyun Hee Nam (KOR). Vezzali had already been denied her 4th consecutive gold medal, but a bronze would secure an Italian medal sweep.
With the bronze medal win, Vezzali passes Giovanna Trillini in individual medals earned. Trillini earned 1 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals. Vezzali now has 3 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze for 5 total individual medals.
Her loss to Arianna Errigo was her first individual bout loss since the gold medal bout of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
It’s hard to describe the feeling in the venue for the end of the bout. Vezzali looked out of it – then she started to climb back into the bout. Then she was down 2 touches with around 10 seconds left – ran Nam down and hit her as Nam was going off the end. Amazing attack, but Nam was still up 1 with 4 seconds.
So Vezzali charged again, ran Nam down and hit to tie the bout with 1 second remaining. Everyone was amazed. Vezzali earned priority, then worked Nam on time.
Nam was forced to attack. She chose to go with 19 seconds left. Vezzali stopped it and scored the winning touch.
The roof blew off of the venue as the Italian crowd erupted.