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Chinese Fencers Win Silver and Bronze in Women's Foil
Although two Chinese fencers did not stop the world No. 1 Valentina Vezzali's run for her gold at the 21st World University Games, they kept good forms and reached unexpected goals in the women's individual foil fencing.
After tying in the previous three bouts, Vezzali made a final touch on target and won 8-7 over Meng, who managed herself in an aggressive attacking style in the final match.
At a press conference after the competition, Vezzali said that she met hard assault from the two Chinese fencers and nearly lost the final match.
Beating Zhang Lei, who is also from China, and 25th-ranked Ekaterina Youcheva of Russia respectively, Vezzali and Meng met in the final competition.
Wang Jian, manager of China's national team, said that he had hardly expected any Chinese fencer could step into the semi-finals and even final of the women's individual foil, which was participated in by many well-known swordswomen in the world such as Olympic gold medalist Vezzali, fifth-ranked Roxana Mariana Scarlat of Romania, 10th-ranked Aida Mohamed of Hungary, 14th- ranked Indez Angad-Gaur of the Netherlands and 15th-ranked Margherita Granbassi of Italy.
Vezzali, who is 27 years old and took part in the four previous universiades, said that she cherished the last chance for her to join the fencing competition at the 21st World University Games.
Meng and Zhang, both silver medalists of the fencing World Cup in 2001, made great performances in the competition Friday.
Vezzali said that they were true rivals for her in the semi- final and final bouts.
Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Meng defended that the Chinese foil team still remains world-leading position in women's fencing although the country's star fencer Xiao Aihua retired.
Zhang, who is now ranked 41st by the International Fencing Federation, defeated Romania's hot favorite Scarlat 15-8 in a quarter-final.
"We are keeping abreast of those world-leading fencers technically, but lacking experience for competing with them in big international events," Meng said.
China hopes its women fencers to march into the final of the team foil fencing and even get the title. The silver and bronze medals obtained by the Chinese Friday evening might give them more confidence for the team title on August 28.
Chinese men's fencers Dong Zhaozhi and Wang Haibin won a gold and a silver of men's individual foil Thursday evening to the medal tally of the Chinese delegation to the Universiade.
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