Italy Gets It Done in Dramatic Fashion
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Angelo Mazzoni, bleeding heavily from a cut above his eye, earned Italy its second fencing gold of the Olympics by landing the decisive hit in the men’s team epee event.
Mazzoni ended the final looking like a prize fighter after an accidental collision with Russian rival Alexander Beketov six seconds from the end of the bout pushed his mask into his face, opening a wound above his right eye.
Bloodied but unbowed, Mazzoni registered the touch required to give his country a 45-43 victory.
Maurizio Randazzo, Mazzoni and third team member Sandro Cuomo had dominated the final throughout but Beketov, winner of the individual epee gold on Saturday, gave them a fright in the last bout.
Starting 35-40 down, the Russian army officer brought the score to 43-44 before he was denied a second gold.
It was Italy’s seventh Olympic gold in team epee, one better than traditional fencing rival France, which defeated Germany, 45-42, for the bronze.
(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)
Medalists / Fencing
MEN’S TEAM EPEE
Gold: Italy
Silver: Russia
Bronze: France
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