Italy battle back to retain team epee title

Sydney: Defending Olympic champions Italy came from behind on Monday to retain their title in the men's team epee event, beating France in sudden-death extra time.

In a high-tempered match which saw two yellow cards and often brought loud cheers and boos from a vocal crowd, Alfredo Rota landed the winning touch on Hugues Obry to give Italy the tie 39-38. Cuba defeated South Korea in the playoff for bronze.

The Italian team of Rota, Maurizio Randazzo and Paolo Milanoli had not been ahead once during the entire final but were always within striking distance of the lead.

The French trio of Obry, Eric Srecki and jean Francois Di Martino were four points ahead at several stages but Italy drew level with two and a half minutes remaining.

The fiery sides of both Latin and Gallic temperaments were frequently on display in the final of a event more associated in the mind of the layman with chivalry and decorum.

The Italian camp howled with protest and their supporters made obscene gestures from the crowd when Randazzo had a point disallowed in the second of the game's nine bouts, apparently for stepping outside the designated playing area.

Milanoli delighted and infuriated parts of the crowd in equal measure by often skipping around with his guard down provocatively or clenching his fist with his free hand.

''I enjoy putting on a bit of a show when there's an occasion,'' he said afterwards. But he added there were tactics behind his antics too. ''I wanted to get away from the technical patterns, where they (the French) are very strong,'' he said.

The Italians had also left it late to defeat South Korea in the semi-final. Rota was once again the key man, turning round a five-point deficit in the final period.



(c) Reuters Limited.