Song Sera Secures Gold with Decisive Thrust for First Individual Title

[Anchor]

On the first day of the fencing events, veteran South Korean épée star Song Sera captured the delegation's 6th gold medal. This marks Song's first-ever individual title at the Asian Games.

Reporter Han Sung-hee has the story.

[Reporter]

Song reached the final after staging a dramatic comeback against Japan's Terayama in the semifinals.

Facing defeat just one point away from elimination, she landed a surprise thrust to tie the score at 14-14. In the ensuing overtime, while retreating from her opponent's attack, she delivered a precise counterattack targeting the head, raising both arms in celebration of her advancement to the final.

In the final against Singapore's Kiria, she maintained a more composed demeanor and fully showcased her skills.

Lunging forward like a spring to counterattack and skillfully striking her opponent's foot, she secured a dominant 15-8 victory to clinch the gold medal.

Following her gold medal at this year's World Championships, she also conquered the Asian Games, savoring the peak moment of her career at the age of 33.

[Song Sera / National Épée Fencer: I was very nervous, but I overcame it well and I'm so happy. I'm so glad and proud to have contributed as a member of South Korea.]

Song is a leading fencer who remains the only South Korean to win the World Championships individual event twice. However, she had previously missed out on individual gold medals at major international multi-sport events like the Olympics and Asian Games, including a loss to senior teammate Choi In-jeong in overtime at the final of the previous Hangzhou Asian Games.

This time was different.

Burning with fighting spirit until the end as the eldest sister of the national team, she fulfilled her golden dream in an individual event at a major multi-sport competition.

Song will now join forces with her younger teammates to aim for a second consecutive victory in the team event.

[Song Sera / National Épée Fencer: We will do our best so that all of our team members can wear gold medals around our necks. We ask for your continued support and interest through the team event.]

Meanwhile, Yun Jung-hyun won a bronze medal in the men's foil, allowing traditional powerhouse fencing to secure medals in both events on the opening day.

The South Korean fencing medal race, which officially opened with Song Sera's first golden thrust, will continue until the 27th.

(Photo courtesy of Yonhap News)
(Reported by Yang Doo-won | Video by Lee Hong-myeong | Design by Cho Su-in)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.