PARIS: Hungarian fencing great Aron Szilagyi saw his hopes of a record-extending fourth men's Olympic sabre individual crown dashed in a shock 15-8 last-32 loss to Canada's Fares Arfa today.
It was 34-year-old Szilagyi's first defeat at an Olympics since the last 16 in Beijing in 2008.
Szilagyi entered the arena at the magnificent Grand Palais in central Paris – which hosted the 2010 fencing World Championships – striding around like a champion.
However, he was on the back foot from the start of his duel, trailing 6-0 before battling back to 6-4 but the ruthlessness and killer touch he had at previous Games had deserted him.
Not even a change of sabre midway through the contest could rouse him, his 29-year-old Canadian opponent apparently as surprised as the spectators at how limply the champion performed.
Szilagyi was not the sole high-profile loser as America's 2023 world champion Eli Dershwitz exited 15-10 at the same stage to another Hungarian, Csanad Gemesi. - AFP