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Veteran Szasz claims first Rio gold for Hungary in women's epee(update)

Xinhua, August 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

Emese Szasz gave Hungary the first Rio Olympic Games gold medal after she won the epee individual title here on Saturday.

The 33-year-old clinched a narrow 15-13 victory over two-time world champion Rossella Fiamingo of Italy in the final. It is Hungary's third gold medal in the women's epee in the last five Olympics.

"I don't believe this. I work a lot for this moment and maybe I have a few days before I believe. I was in the last two Olympic Games, I did bad in London (2012) and Beijing (2008)." said Szasz, who finished 12th in Beijing and 25th in London.

Fiamingo had the chance to become the first Italian fencer to win the woman's epee individual event when she led with 11-10 after the second round, but Szasz fought back to make it 14-12 and sealed the victory with a double-touch.

"Halfway through the bout I pushed too much, I was in a big lead (10-6) and she surprised me too many times. Maybe I was in too much of a rush." Fiamingo said.

China's Sun Yiwen won a bronze medal by beating Lauren Rembi of France 15-13. Sun eliminated second-ranked Sarra Besbes of Tunisia in the quarterfinals.

"I think it is an amazing day. Whatever the result, I feel really happy to be here to compete in the Olympic Games." Sun said.

A raft of top-ranked fencers was ousted in the round of 32 including World No.1 Xu Anqi of China, third-ranked Tatiana Logunova of Russia and South Korea's Shin A Lam, who protested after losing in the semifinals at London 2012. Endit