Japan clinches gold in men's fencing team foil at Paris Olympics

By AJP Posted : August 5, 2024, 17:38 Updated : August 5, 2024, 17:50
Team Japan celebrates victory after the mens foil team gold medal match of fencing between Italy and Japan at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Aug 4 2024 Yonhap photo
Team Japan celebrates victory after the men's foil team gold medal match of fencing between Italy and Japan at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Aug. 4, 2024. Xinhua-Yonhap
SEOUL, August 5 (AJU PRESS) - Japan secured the gold medal in the men's team foil event at the Paris Olympics on Sunday, defeating Italy by 45-36 and propelling the nation to the top of the fencing medal table, Kyoto News reported.

The world's top-ranked team, comprising Kazuki Iimura, Kyosuke Matsuyama, Takahiro Shikine and substitute Yudai Nagano, joined Koki Kano in claiming fencing gold for Japan at the Grand Palais in Paris.

The victory marked a historic moment as Japan became the first non-European or Russian team to win the event at the Olympics, Kyodo News reported.

Japan initially took the lead with Shikine's aggressive 5-3 victory over Tommaso Marini. Italy briefly held the advantage in the fourth leg when Guillaume Bianchi defeated Shikine 6-3, but Japan regained control in subsequent bouts.

The pivotal moment came in the penultimate leg when substitute Nagano outperformed Alessio Foconi, extending Japan's lead to 40-34. Iimura then secured the gold in the final bout.

Shikine expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, saying, "I believed we had the quality to win the gold medal. There was pressure to get a team medal for Japan for the third day in a row, and I am really pleased that we were able to get the gold."

This victory adds to Japan's impressive fencing performance at the Paris Games, following Kano's gold in the men's individual epee, silver in the men's epee team event, and bronze medals in both women's foil and sabre team events.

Before the Paris Olympics, Japan had only won three medals in fencing throughout its Olympic history.

Matsuyama reflected on the team's journey, saying, "It's been physically and mentally hard for us with many ups and downs, but nobody tried to escape from reality, and that is reflected in the result today."

The men's team foil gold medal concludes Japan's successful fencing campaign at the Paris Olympics, solidifying their position atop the discipline's medal table.
기사 이미지 확대 보기
닫기