Velikaya wins fencing silver for Russia

Kim Jiyeon of South Korea won the Olympic gold medal in fencing for the women's individual sabre on Wednesday night, topping Russia's gold medal hopeful Sofia Velikaya in the final.

As only a few had expected, Kim was in control virtually the entire way. After taking a 6-2 lead, she didn’t give second-seeded Velikaya any breathing space, and carried that momentum all the way through the final to eventually win 15-9. Velikaya became Russia’s second fencer to leave London with a medal. A few days earlier, fellow saber-fencer Nikolay Kovalev gave a good send-off, winning individual bronze.Two hours before the final, the Korean deprived two-time gold medalist Mariel Zagunis of the United States of the final, rallying from seven points down. The disappointed Zagunis, who carried the American flag at the opening ceremony, left without a medal, losing to Ukraine's Olga Kharlan in the bronze medal bout.