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Tagliariol ends Italian Olympic epee drought after 48 years

Society Materials 10 August 2008 19:58 (UTC +04:00)

Matteo Tagliariol ended an Italian epee fencing Olympic drought after 48 years when he beat Frenchman Fabrice Jeannet for gold at the Beijing Games, the dpa reported. Tagliariol was untroubled in his 15-9 success in the final, which was Italy's first gold in the event since Giuseppe Delfino triumphed in 1960 in Rome. Jose Luis Abajo won the first ever fencing medal for Spain when he edged Hungary's Gabor Boczko 8- 7 in the bronze medal match. "This the first gold for Italy since 1960. I have lost my voice. I am so excited right now and I have no way of expressing myself," said the elated winner Tagliariol. Jeannet was upset with himself, saying "I couldn't handle this guy." World number one Silvio Hernandez of Venezuela made an early exit when he crashed out in the round of 16 against Boczko.

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