Szilagyi defends Olympic title in men’s sabre, Deriglazova takes gold in women’s foil

Published 13/08/2016 at 08:59 GMT

Hungary’s Aron Szilagyi has successfully defended his men’s individual sabre Olympic title, defeating USA’s Daryl Homer 15-8 in the final.

Image credit: Eurosport

Szilagyi, 26, raced ahead in what was a lightning-fast final at the Carioca Arena 3, and was soon on the brink of victory after leading 14-6.

Homer, the world number 10 fencer rallied, but the comeback was stopped when Szilagyi scored the final touch with a slash across his opponent’s chest.

Homer adds the medal to the silver he won at the 2014 world championships in Moscow.

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The bronze medal went to world number three, Junghwan Kim of Korea. The 32-year-old two-time Asian champion beat the world number 15, Iran’s Mojtaba Abedini, 15-8.

It was Kim’s second Olympic medal after taking the team title with South Korea in London in 2012, while for his part Abedini made history with the best-ever Olympic performance by an Iranian fencer in any weapon.

In the women’s individual foil, the world number two Inna Deriglazova of Russia took the Olympic gold medal beating the defending champion Elisa di Francisca of Italy, 12-11.

In a final that went right down to the wire, Deriglazova had a two-point lead that Di Francisca cut to one with just seconds remaining on the clock.

Amid deafening roars from the crowd at the Carioca Arena 3, the 33-year-old Italian mounted a final attack but Deriglazova evaded it, securing a first Olympic medal for the 26-year-old world champion.

The silver is Di Francisca’s third Olympic medal after she won gold in the individual and team event in London four years ago.

The bronze went to the world number nine, Ines Boubakri of Tunisia, marking the first time a female African fencer has won an Olympic medal.

The 27 year-old 10-time African champion beat world number four, Aida Shanaeva of Russia 15-11 in the third-place playoff.

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