The Ukrainian women’s fencing team made a great show in the 2008 Beijing Olympics by taking the gold medal and defeating the Chinese team by 45-44.  This win was an exciting finish ended the women’s Olympic competition.  China won the silver and the United States won the bronze by defeating the French team.

Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan led the team’s comeback against China, working through a four point deficit to tie the competition up.  China was leading the Ukraine team 40-36 when Kharlan and China’s Tan Xue faced off on the piste.  When the scores tied at 44, both women believed they had delivered the winning blow to the other.  The judges paused the competition to review the official video for clarification and decided to withhold the point all together.  When the two women faced off again, Kharlan recorded the winning blow and won the Ukrainian team the gold medal.

Kharlan and her team defeated the American team 45-39 earlier in the match, relegating both the American and French women’s fencing teams to battle for the bronze medal.  The United States took the gold in the individual women’s fencing competition, the medal going to Mariel Zagunis after she defeated fellow team mate Sada Jacobson.

For more news about Ukraine you can also visit the Kiev Ukraine News Blog.

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