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Mariel Zagunis went from missing out on qualifying for the Olympic Games to winning the first gold medal in modern fencing for the United States. She cruised through a semifinal match against Catalina Gheorghitoaia of Romania to set up the final match against Xue Tan of China, who had just defeated world #1 Sada Jacobson.
The last American medal in the sport was in Los Angeles in 1984, when Peter Westbrook won the bronze in men’s saber. This is the first Olympic medal for the US in a women’s fencing event – and the first ever appearance of women’s sabre in the Olympic games.
{mosimage}In her final match, Zagunis commanded the bout against Xue Tan of China from the beginning, running an 8-2 streak by the first break. Zagunis fenced with tenacity and imagination, scoring for instance with point-in-line at 5-2.
After the break Tan rallied, changing her game and taking the score back up to 10-6 to the chants of the large contingent from China. But Zagunis was not to be denied and gritted out the next few touches to finally win 15-9.
She was immediately tossed in the air by her teammates, who rushed the piste.
Just before the gold medal bout, Sada Jacobson (Dunwoody, Ga.) became the first US women ever to win an Olympic medal and the first US fencers to medal in 20 years.
Jacobson commandingly defeated Catalina Gheorghitoaia of Romania in the bout for the bronze. She led the bout from the beginning and gained momentum throughout, leading 8-5 at the break and 15-7 in the end.
Stay tuned to see both young American stars on the podium and hear, for the first time since 1904, the Star Spangled Banner played for our fencers.
Other articles:
In sabre you live by the sword…
AP: First gold for USA women fencing
