Romania Wins Fencing World Cup
Romania's team celebrating their first gold
Ana Brinza’s right knee is still pricking and her left arm is still shaking, but the joy seems to anesthetize everything. Romania claimed the golden medal at the Fencing World Cup at the Grand Palais in Paris, beating Germany 35-26 in a tough painful final. It is for the first time in Romania’s history that their women national team finishes first at the big event. The victory depended on Ana Brinza’s last performance against Imke Duplitzer. She would beat the German 18-10 in the last fight, Duplitzer having not looked like a real European champion at all.
Neither Duplitzer, nor 2007 world champion and 2008 Olympic champion Britta Heidemann could bring more points for Germany, the last one winning just two fights, first against Ana Brinza, whom she defeated 2-0 and second against Anca Maroiu whom the German beat 1-0. But she lost the first meeting against Simona Alexandru, the Romanian passing her 4-3 to put Romania into the 8-6 lead. Romania surpassed South Korea in the semi finals, the Asians claiming finally the bronze medal after beating China 45-37. Romania was the first to take the lead as the same Ana Brinza won the first game against Sozanska whom she defeated 1-0. Anca Maroiu and Imke Duplitzer finished with a 3-3 draw to keep the meeting tight. Things looked better for the Romanians when Simona Alexandru made a superb fight against world champion Heidemann.
The Germans would win a fight in the fourth meeting as Sozanksa passed Maroiu on the edge 1-0. Heidemann raised Germany’s hopes after she stung Brinza two times to bring German advantage for the first time. But it was once again Simona Alexandru, who looked in great form throughout the competition, to switch the lead after beating Duplitzer 5-3. It was 13-12 to Romania and only three fights to run. Heidemann made it 13-13 after defeating Maroiu. Finally, Alexandru would break Germans’s hearts and hopes as she finished Sozanska’s confrontation 4-3. Romania’s last hopes went to Ana Brinza though. Even a draw would see the Romanians claiming the world cup as they were leading Germany 17-16 before the last fight. Just to make sure, Brinza would smash Duplitzer 18-10 in the last round to bring a much deserved gold medal for Romania.
