Kong spoils French party

PARIS, France (AFP) — Fencer Vivian Kong won Hong Kong’s third ever Olympic gold medal, disappointing the home crowd as she beat France’s Auriane Mallo-Breton, 13-12, in sudden death in the women’s epee final.

Kong wiped away tears after she clinched the title, having held her nerve when she trailed, 7-1, in the second period and with a passionate home crowd, including President Emmanuel Macron, urging Mallo-Breton on.

Kong’s gold emulates that of fellow fencer Cheung Ka Long in the men’s foil in Tokyo three years ago and sailor Lee Lai Shan who won the women’s sailboard title at Atlanta 1996.

“I just thought it was so embarrassing to lose like this,” she said of fighting back from a six-point deficit.

“I was not using my brain. I still think I lost even after so many interviews.”

United States First Lady Jill Biden and Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger, a day after celebrating his 81st birthday, were both in attendance earlier Saturday.

The French President departed quickly to console Mallo-Breton so he missed the men’s sabre title match which was won by South Korea’s Oh Sang-uk.

Mallo-Breton had given the home crowd goosebumps during her progress to the final, not least when she was 13-10 down with 36 seconds remaining in her last-32 match.

Somehow, she managed to defeat her crestfallen Ukrainian opponent Dzhoan Bezhura 14-13.

In the final, though, the Frenchwoman found being in front and the weight of expectation too much and Kong was transformed after she had changed her epee.