Highlights of the Final bout of the Olympic Fencing Men's Team Sabre event between South Korea and Italy.
Korea had won every World Championships and almost every major event during the 2016-2021 Olympic Season. Korea is also the defending Olympic Champions from the 2012 London Olympics (Men's Team Sabre was not an event at Rio 2016). Out of the 2012 Team, Kim Junghwan and Gu Bongil remain. It is hard to emphasis just how dominant Korea has been during this Olympic Cycle. Ha Hansol, instead of Kim Junghwan had been selected for the 2019 World Championships.
Italy has likely won the second most World Cups (Korea being the first by a long mile) by medalling at almost every event in this Olympic Cycle, often winning Silver or Bronze through losing to Korea in the Semifinal or Final. Italy had won a World Cup against Iran in 2017 season and another against France in 2019. This same Italian Team with the exception of Occhiuzzi over Samele had won the 2015 World Championships. The same Italian had won Bronze at the London 2012 Olympics with the exception of Occhiuzzi over Berrè.
The last time I remember Italy beating Korea was at the Rio 2016 World Championships, where the same Team Italy had beaten the same Team Korea in the Round of 7 because they had both lost their Quarterfinals against Romania and Russia respectively. Korea then beat Italy in every major match-up including the 2018 World Championship Finals.
Aldo Montano has retired after this event. Kim Junghwan will likely retire after the next Asian Games.
0:00 Curatoli v Kim Junghwan
0:55 Montano v Oh
1:10 Berrè v Gu
1:25 Montano v Kim Junghwan
1:56 Curatoli v Gu
2:23 Berrè v Oh
3:17 Montano v Gu
3:41 Berrè v Kim Junho
4:16 Curatoli v Oh