Mariel Zagunis clinched the United States their first fencing gold for 100 years when she beat Xue Tan of China 15-9 in the Olympic women’s saber final yesterday.

Follow American Sada Jacobson collected the bronze with a 15-7 win over the Romanian Catalina Gheorgitoaia. It was the first time the event had been held at the Olympics.

The 19-year-old Zagunis, who only made it to the Games as the third-ranked American when the Nigerian Olympic Committee declined to send Jacqueline Esimaye, raced to an 8-2 lead.

In spite of a spirited comeback that took Tan to within three points, she held on to win comfortably.

The last US fencing gold was won in the single sticks in St. Louis in 1904 by Albertson van der Post - the only time that that event has been held at the Olympics.

When she finally notched up the point needed for victory, after two false alarms, Zagunis screamed for joy.

She was immediately surrounded by her United States teammates, who handed her a Stars and Stripes flag then tossed her into the air.

“When I’ve watched the other people win here and seen what they do I was thinking about what kind of reaction I’d have if I won but when it came down to it I just let whatever I was feeling come out of me,” she said.

“There is no better feeling than being thrown up in the air by your team mates as Olympic champion, it feels great. I’m so happy right now.”

When leading 14-7 she twice spun and ripped her helmet off, but twice had to kill the squeal in her throat as the point went to Tan.

Marcel Fischer won Switzerland’s first ever fencing Olympics gold medal on Tuesday when he defeated Wang Lei of China 15-9 to win the men’s individual epee.

The Russian Pavel Kolobkov, who took gold in Sydney four years ago, had to settle for bronze this time, beating Eric Boisse of France 15-8. Fischer, who came fourth at the Sydney Olympics, confirmed his status as world number one with an impressive display throughout the day, especially in the final when he opened up an 7-2 lead which allowed him to control the bout.

Wang’s defeat came as a second disappointment for the Chinese who earlier had Xue Tan beaten in the final of the women’s individual saber.