After nine days of lunge, parry and riposte with epee, foil and saber, Italy fought its way back to the top of the fencing medal table in the London Olympics Sunday, claiming the men's team foil gold on the last day of competition for its third title of the games.
Italy had finished second to France in Beijing in 2008.
"It's very important to confirm we're top of the world," men's team foil gold medal winner Valerio Aspromonte said after Italy's 45-39 win over Japan in the final.
It was a nerve-racking final for the top-seeded Italians, who were under constant pressure from their underdog challengers. But Andrea Baldini's winning touch on Yuki Ota after the Japanese had pushed the favorites all the way finally broke the tension in the last fencing bout at the London Games.
Perfect fencing form gave way to chaotic celebration as Baldini ripped off his face mask, threw aside his foil and sank to his knees with fists pumping out in front of him. He was mobbed by team mates Aspromonte, the substitute for the final, Andrea Cassara and Giorgio Avola.
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It gave Italy its third gold and seven medals overall in fencing, ahead of South Korea's two golds and six overall and China's two golds and a bronze. The silver was Japan's first fencing medal in London.
"I thought it was going to be an easier match against the Japanese," Cassara said, gripping his gold medal, the second of his career, as tight as he would a sword.
"I didn't watch some of the last points because it's a superstition. I put my towel on my head. I didn't want to see the score. I heard my coach scream, 'one more, one more point!' Then I watched the last point."