PARIS: Hungary did just enough to dethrone Tokyo champions Japan and snatch gold in the men's epee team event at the Paris Olympics on Friday after cruising through the early rounds.
Gergely Siklosi, scoring first, gave his team a lead that they kept for most of the bout, eventually winning 26-25 against the defending champions.
Japan's Koki Kano, gold medallist in the individual event, was unable to stop a fiery Siklosi who scored the last touch in a nerve-wracking sudden-death bout.
"I was preparing for that against the Japanese," Siklosi told reporters. "I gave it all and we were absolutely ready."
It was Hungary's fourth title in the event, which they had not won since the Munich Games in 1972. After winning bronze in Rio in 2016, the gold medal was proof that Hungarians are back on top.
In the semi-finals they knocked out favourites France, despite the home team's support from the Grand Palais crowd.
Hungary never lost their dominance over world number ones France, ending the bout at 45-30, a tremendous beating in epee. They had already eliminated Kazakhstan in the quarter-finals with the same score.
"We were absolutely ready. We have fenced France many times, and we know what they do. The secret was to know your opponent really deeply," said Siklosi. "I think today, we were better."
France went on to lose 43-41 to Czech Republic, who claimed the bronze medal.
With substitute Paul Allegre giving the French new momentum by scoring five touches that turned the tide for most of the bout, it looked like bronze was at the tip of Yannick Borel's epee when he walked into the final three-minute round with a lead of four touches.
But Czech Republic's Jakub Jurka scored 12 touches against Borel, offering his country its first Olympic medal in the event after knocking out another of the favourites, Italy, in the quarter-finals 43-38.
"I got into the moment," said Jurka. "It was one of these moments in fencing when you get into your opponent's head.
"It wasn't Yannick's fault, I didn't give him any opportunity to react."
Borel told reporters his mind had gone blank in that decisive moment.
"That's really the word that comes to me. A blank that cost the team the match.
"I've won many medals in team events. To make my team lose, it pains me extremely."
Borel was in the French team that won gold in Rio in 2016. At 35 years old, Paris could be his last Games. --REUTERS