Tue Aug 17, 2004 03:55 PM ET
By Mitch Phillips
ATHENS (Reuters) - Mariel Zagunis won the first fencing gold for the United States for 100 years when she beat Xue Tan of China 15-9 in the inaugural Olympic women's sabre final on Tuesday.
Marcel Fischer also made history -- and completed a disappointing night for China -- when he claimed Switzerland's first-ever win in the sport by beating Lei Wang 15-9 to take the men's epee title.
The 19-year-old Zagunis, who only made it to the Games as the third-ranked American when the Nigerian Olympic Committee declined to send Jacqueline Esimaye, raced to an 8-2 lead with an aggressive approach.
In spite of a spirited comeback that briefly took Tan to within three points, she held on to win comfortably.
The last U.S. fencing gold was won in the single sticks in St Louis in 1904 by Albertson van der Post -- the only time that that event has been held at the Olympics -- and the joy was obvious when Zagunis's team mates hoisted her aloft wrapped in a Stars and Stripes flag.
FEELS GREAT
"There is no better feeling than being thrown up in the air by your team mates as Olympic champion, it feels great. I'm so happy right now," she said.
When leading 14-7 she twice spun and ripped her helmet off, but twice had to kill the squeal in her throat as the point went to Tan.
"It's all excitement and emotion and you never know exactly what the referee is going to call."
Fellow American Sada Jacobson collected the bronze with a 15-7 win over Romanian Catalina Gheorgitoaia.
Fischer, who finished fourth in Sydney four years ago, was always in control of the epee final, the tall Swiss's exceptional reach catching out the burly Wang again and again.
"Every match was so hard, it was so hot. I wasn't sure of it until the 14th hit," said the current world number one.
Russian Pavel Kolobkov, who took gold in 2000, had to settle for bronze this time, beating Eric Boisse of France 15-8.© Reuters 2004. All Rights Reserved.
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