Fencer Oh Sang-uk wins Korea's first gold medal in Paris

Fencer Oh Sang-uk won Korea's first gold medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday, beating Fares Ferjani of Tunisia in the mens' individual sabre final at the Grand Palais in Palace.

Korea's Oh Sang-uk, left, and Tunisia's Fares Ferjani compete in the men's sabre individual gold medal bout during the Paris 2024 Olympics at the Grand Palais in Paris on Saturday. [AFP/YONHAP]

Fencer Oh Sang-uk won Korea's first gold medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday, beating Fares Ferjani of Tunisia in the mens' individual sabre final at the Grand Palais in Palace.

Oh, 27, beat Ferjani 15-11 in a nail-biter bout, with the Tunisian fencer pulling back seven points as Oh struggled to make it over the line for a match-winning 15.

With the win, Oh becomes the first Korean fencer to medal in Paris and the first Korean to win gold.

Saturday's win is redemption for Oh, who crashed out of the individual competition in Paris in the quarterfinals despite entering the tournament at world No. 1. He did go on to medal in Paris, winning gold in the men's sabre team event.

Korea's Oh Sang-uk celebrates after beating Tunisia's Fares Ferjani in the men's sabre individual gold medal bout during the Paris 2024 Olympics at the Grand Palais in Paris on Saturday. [AFP/YONHAP]

It was also an opportunity to revenge his teammate Gu Bon-gil, who fell to Ferjani in the round of 32.

Both Oh and Gu will return to the piste for the men's sabre team competition, where Korea are two-time defending champions, having won at Tokyo 2020 and London 2012. Sabre was not contested at the 2016 Rio Olympics due to a now-abolished rotation system.

Elsewhere in fencing, Korea failed to medal in the women's individual epee, also on Saturday. Korea could still medal in the discipline, with the women's epee team entering the competition as reigning silver medalists and the current world No. 2s.

Korea's Oh Sang-uk, left, celebrates after beating Tunisia's Fares Ferjani in the men's sabre individual gold medal bout during the Paris 2024 Olympics at the Grand Palais in Paris on Saturday. [AFP/YONHAP]

As of press time Saturday, Korea have one gold, one silver and one bronze medal to round out day one of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]