Russians claim team gold

The Americans managed to draw the top-ranked Russian team into close combat in the early rounds, tying the match 4-4 after three bouts.

But with Russia up 7-5 after round four, Victoria Nikichina, Evgenia Lamonova and Svetlana Boyko used their longer reach to pull away, preventing Americans Emily Cross, Erinn Smart and Hanna Thompson from scoring in four consecutive rounds.

When Cross finally got a hit in the last round, Russian fans mockingly chanted "USA, USA."

"I can't quite believe what just happened," Lamonova said. "I am happy for me and my team mates but also for my country, especially since we haven't had so many gold medals. I'd like to wish the Russian athletes luck so they can do better.

"I don't know why we are having such a strange Games; maybe it's because of the war."

Russia, which has signed a peace plan with Georgia after more than a week of fighting between the two countries, has won five gold medals at the Olympics so far.

"Russia is such a strong team, they have so much experience," Smart said. "They are tough to hit. We held it together and then kind of hesitated a little bit. You want to rush and get points but they're a team that you can't do that with."

It was the first ever women's foil medal for the United States at the Olympic Games.

Italy, led by three-times individual Olympic champion Valentina Vezzali, defeated Hungary 32-23 to take bronze.

In team fencing, each team fields three fencers who rotate to duel each other over nine rounds.