Choi Se-bin narrowly misses podium after women's sabre nail-biter

Korean fencer Choi Se-bin narrowly missed out on a medal in the women’s individual sabre contest at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Monday, falling to veteran Olympian Olga Kharlan of Ukraine by a single point in the bronze medal match.

Korea's Choi Se-bin, left, competes with Ukraine's Olga Kharlan in the women's individual sabre bronze medal match during the Paris Olympics at the Grand Palais in Paris on Monday. [AP/YONHAP]

Korean fencer Choi Se-bin narrowly missed out on a medal in the women’s individual sabre contest at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Monday, falling to veteran Olympian Olga Kharlan of Ukraine by a single point in the bronze medal match.

Choi got off to a fast start at the Grand Palais in Paris, taking an 8-3 lead in the first period before Kharlan mounted a fierce comeback to tie things up at 11-11.

The lead went back and forth over the following three points, reaching a 14-14 tie before Kharlan landed the winning blow to take the bronze medal.

With the win, the Ukrainian veteran became the second person ever to medal three times in individual women’s sabre at the Olympics. The 33-year-old previously took bronze at the 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio Games, as well as earning a gold medal in the team event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a silver in the team event in Rio.

Choi, meanwhile, goes home empty-handed after a fierce competition that saw her rise from the lowest-ranked of three Koreans to reach the round of 16 to facing the world No. 6 in the bronze medal match.

En route to the final, Choi saw off world No. 1 Misaki Emura of Japan and her own teammate Jeon Ha-young — the highest-ranked Korean in the discipline — beating her 15-14 in the round of eight. She lost to Manon Apithy-Brunet in the semifinals, missing out on the gold medal match.

Despite the disappointment on the piste on Monday, Choi’s Olympics will continue next weekend as she returns for the women’s sabre team competition. Korea will begin that round of eight as they face the United States — a squad Choi has some experience with, having seen off team member Tatiana Nazlymov in the round of 32.

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