The South Korean female epee fencers won the gold medal in the team event at the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games on Wednesday, regaining the title after 21 years.
Choi In-jeong, Kang Young-mi, Song Se-ra and Lee Hye-in won 36-34 against Hong Kong in the event’s final at Hangzhou Dianzi University Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China.
It is the second Asiad champions title of the day in fencing for South Korea, following gold from the men’s team foil.
Also, it is the country’s first gold medal in the women’s team epee, which uses a heavy thrusting weapon targeting the entire body, at the Asian Games since 2002.
Choi became the first South Korean fencer with double gold medals in Hangzhou along with her individual gold on Sunday.
Song Se-ra, who won silver in the individual epee Sunday, said she and her teammates have been desperate for the team gold medal, as the Hangzhou Asian Games are the last big sport competition that their leader Choi In-jeong competes in before her retirement.
“The final match was our last game where we teamed up with Choi. So we were so longing for gold,” she said in a post-match press conference. “We wanted to give Choi a gold medal that we won together.”
Recalling the last 15 seconds in the gold-medal match, Song said she was so focused on the duel in the final ninth round.
Entering the final round with a four-point lead, she allowed some points to their opponent to narrow the gap to two points at 36-34.
“I can’t remember what I was thinking in the moment,” she said. “I just wanted to thrust at the opponent, instead of passing the time.”
Source: Yonhap News Agency