Zhong Man secured the first ever men’s fencing gold for China yesterday when he defeated France’s Nicolas Lopez 15-9 in the men’s sabre final at the Beijing Games.
The Asian champion’s victory over the silver-medalist from Athens four years ago means Zhong becomes only the second Chinese fencer to take Olympic gold.
Luan Jujie achieved the feat in the women’s foil at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
PHOTO: AFP
Mihai Covaliu of Romania defeated France’s Julien Pillet to take bronze.
Zhang lagged behind his opponent after the first round but the 25-year-old said he was able to deal with the pressure.
“My coach told me to be more aggressive and more active in attacking and so I did it and the rest of the bout went smoothly,” said Zhong, who is coached by Frenchman Christian Bauer.
“I feel as though I am dreaming and now I’m more confident about the team event,” Zhong said.
The fencing competition continues today with two medal events up for decision, the men’s foil where Lei Sheng is a medal hope for China, and the women’s epee.
• COMPLETE RESULTS FOR YESTERDAY:
MEN’S SABRE INDIVIDUAL (LAST 32)
Luigi Tarantino (ITA) def. Renzo Agresta (BRA) 15-8
Boris Sanson (FRA) def. Tim Morehouse (USA) 15-12
Zhong Man (CHN) def. Wiradech Kothny (THA) 15-7
Jaime Marti (ESP) def. Nikolay Kovalev (RUS) 15-12
Keeth Smart (USA) def. Jason Rogers (USA) 15-3
Aron Szilagyi (HUN) def. Tamas Decsi (HUN) 15-9
Julien Pillet (FRA) def. Jingzhi Wang (CHN) 15-14
Rares Dumitrescu (ROM) def. Mamadou Keita (SEN) 15-7
Aldo Montano (ITA) def. Philippe Beaudry (CAN) 15-4
Jorge Pina (ESP) def. Diego Occhiuzzi (ITA) 15-9
Eunseok Oh (KOR) def. Dmitri Lapkes (BLR) 15-8
Nicolas Lopez (FRA) def. Stanislav Pozdnyakov (RUS) 15-8
Mihai Covaliu (ROM) def. Valery Pryiemka (BLR) 15-9
Hanming Zhou (CHN) def. Zsolt Nemcsik (HUN) 15-13
Aliaksandr Buikevich (BLR) def. Alexey Yakimenko (RUS) 15-9
Nicolas Limbach (GER) def. Marcin Koniusz (POL) 15-7
MEN’S SABRE INDIVIDUAL (LAST 16)
Luigi Tarantino (ITA) def. Boris Sanson (FRA) 15-7
Zhong Man (CHN) def. Jaime Marti (ESP) 15-14
Keeth Smart (USA) def. Aron Szilagyi (HUN) 15-10
Julien Pillet (FRA) def. Rares Dumitrescu (ROM) 15-13
Jorge Pina (ESP) def. Aldo Montano (ITA) 15-14
Nicolas Lopez (FRA) def. Eunseok Oh (KOR) 15-11
Mihai Covaliu (ROM) def. Hanming Zhou (CHN) 15-12
Aliaksandr Buikevich (BLR) def. Nicolas Limbach (GER) 15-14
MEN’S SABRE INDIVIDUAL (QUARTER-FINALS)
Man Zhong (CHN) def. Luigi Tarantino (ITA) 15-13
Julien Pillet (FRA) def. Keeth Smart (USA) 15-13
Nicolas Lopez (FRA) def. Jorge Pina (ESP) 15-10
Mihai Covaliu (ROM) def. Aliaksandr Buikevich (BLR) 15-13
MEN’S SABRE INDIVIDUAL (SEMI-FINALS)
Zhong Man (CHN) def. Julien Pillet (FRA) 15-12
Nicolas Lopez (FRA) def. Mihai Covaliu (ROM) 15-13
BRONZE MEDAL PLAYOFF
Mihai Covaliu (ROM) def. Julien Pillet (FRA) 15-11
FINAL
Zhong Man (CHN) def. Nicolas Lopez (FRA) 15-9.
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