Sabre, Individual, Women

At the 2004 Olympics Mariel Zagunis had recorded a shock victory in this event for the USA. Since then the American team had made further progress by winning the world team title in 2005 and winning gold, silver and bronze in the individual event at the 2006 World Championships. Despite a lean 2007, hopes were still high that America could make a mark at the Beijing Olympics but what happened next was surely beyond their wildest dreams. When reigning world champion Yelena Nechayeva exited early the American trio took advantage and went through to the semi-final along with Russia’s Sofiya Velikaya whose victory over China’s Tan Xue had removed another major threat to US glory. The first semi-final saw Velikaya fall to Sada Jacobson to ensure an all-American final where Jacobson would be joined by defending champion Zagunis. Zagunis went on to defend her crown in straightforward fashion and was never headed in her 15-8 win over Jacobson. The bronze medal bout was more competitive and was only decided in favour of American Becca Ward when officials made a video review of a hit with the scores level at 14 all. After deliberations Ward was deemed to have struck the winning score fractionally before Velikaya landed her blow. This was the first time since 1988 that a country had swept the medals in Olympic fencing and the first time for the USA since the long abandoned discipline of single sticks was held in 1904.