South Korea stood out from the start against the bronze medallists in Tokyo. In all, 12 gold-medal events in epee, foil and sabre individual and team competitions are being held from July 27 to August 4 at the Grand Palais.  

At the moment I won the gold medal, I had tears in my eyes”, said Korea’s Sanguk Oh, who also won the Paris 2024 gold medal in men’s individual sabre. “We had a great deal of burden on us, and this was a very important moment for us as a team. But even though our team members are changing, we are getting stronger and our team is performing well.”

This victory turned the tide outside the Games, as in 2023 it was Hungary who beat South Korea at the World Championships.

Meanwhile, France claimed another medal at the Grand Palais, winning bronze against Iran, 45-25, after being eliminated by South Korea in the semi-finals, 45-39.

It was a medal-heavy afternoon for the Games hosts, who on the same afternoon at the Defence Arena won two golds in swimming with the acclaimed giant Lion Marchand.

That was in the team category, but Korea also dominated in other varieties of fencing. Three days ago, Oh Sanguk of the Republic of Korea won the gold medal in the men's sabre competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Corea team includes Bongil GU, Sanguk OH, Sangwon PARK and Gyeongdong.

The Republic of Korea fencer made a grand gesture during the final by helping his Tunisian opponent Fares Ferjani to his feet after a fall, before securing the winning point with a score of 15-11.

Tunisia's Fares Ferjani took the silver medal, while Italy's Luigi Samele won the bronze medal, completing the podium.

Fencing

Fencing is an Olympic sport with a long tradition, as evidenced by its presence on the Olympic programme since the first modern Olympic Games, held in Athens in 1896. Today, men and women compete in individual and team events. Previously, foil was the only event in women's fencing, a factor that was maintained until the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, when women's epee was added. Women's sabre was added to the programme at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

Among the figures who have left their mark on the sport is the Italian Nedo Nadi, who is the only fencer to have won a medal in all weapons at a single Games. In 1912, at the age of just 18, he won gold in foil. 

Then, after being decorated by his country for acts of bravery during the First World War, he won five gold medals in Antwerp in 1920 - a historic and unequalled record - in the individual foil and sabre events and in the foil, epee and sabre team events.