PARALYMPICS /
News
Chinese have the cutting edge in wheelchair fencing
By Cui Xiaohuo
China Daily/The Paralympian Staff Writer
Updated: 2008-09-15 12:46
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China's Ye Ruyi (right) fights Poland's Stefan Makowski in wheelchair fencing men's individual foil category A preliminary pool C competition. Ye later won the gold in the final. [China Daily]
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Chinese fencers, both from the mainland and Hong Kong, dominated the first competition day of wheelchair fencing on Sunday.
Ye Ruyi and Hu Daoliang won gold in the men's individual foil category A and B respectively, while Chan Yui Chong of Hong Kong, China, defended her Athens title in the women's individual foil at the National Convention Center.
European favorites were largely upset yesterday with a lone competitor, Frenchman Laurent Francois, advancing to one of the three fencing finals before losing to China's Hu Daoliang in the final of the men's individual foil in category B.
"Hu was much stronger than me today and his performance was simply great," Francois acknowledged after winning the silver.
Hungarian star Pal Szekeres won a bronze in the same category.
But favorites Alim Latreche and defending champion Hui Charn Hung, from Hong Kong, were both knocked out in the quarterfinals.
In the men's foil category A competitions, Team China secured a gold medal before the final when Ye Ruyi and Zhang Lei both defeated their rivals in the semis.
Bronze went to Poland's Dariusz Pender.
Hong Kong's Chan Yui Chong made it back-to-back Paralympic with gold in the women's foil.
She defeated Chinese fencers Ye Hua and Yao Fang in her final two bouts to take the title.
Yao and Ye won silver and bronze.