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Although Italy, second in the world rankings, maintained a
steady lead throughout the game, Ysaora Thibus of France
overtook Italy's Arianna Errigo in the ninth and final bout,
bringing her team a breathtaking upset victory.
Tied at 42-42, Thibus and Errigo eyed each other across the
piste, waiting for the right moment to swipe. Thibus deftly
knocked away her opponent's weapon to stab at her chest and gave
her team a 45-43 victory that advanced them to the final.
"We just didn't give up and we knew we had the fencing to make
them struggle... I'm really proud of this comeback, it's a
really, really beautiful bout," said Thibus.
After the final point, Thibus let out a scream and her team
mates hugged her, sinking to their knees and close to tears.
They now face the ROC, which includes top-ranked Inna
Deriglazova who already has a silver medal from the individual
event.
"We're going to do the same thing and believe until the end,"
Thibus said.
Italy still have hopes of winning a bronze to become the first
country to win seven consecutive medals in the women's team foil
Olympic competition. They are currently tied with the Soviet
Union and Hungary at six consecutive medals.
In the bronze-medal bout, Italy will face the United States,
including Lee Kiefer who beat Deriglazova in the individual
competition to win gold.
(Reporting by Sakura Murakami; Editing by Muralikumar
Anantharaman and Clare Fallon)
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