updated 6:47 p.m. ET Aug. 17, 2004

ATHENS, Greece - The American who nearly didn’t go to the Olympics won her nation’s first fencing gold medal in a century.

Mariel Zagunis won the first Olympic women’s saber competition Tuesday night, beating former world champion Tan Xue of China 15-9 in the final. After she won the last point, Zagunis ripped off her mask, raised her arms and was mobbed by members of the U.S. team, who rushed onto the strip and tossed her into the air.

“There’s no better feeling than being thrown up there after becoming champion of anything,” she said. “I’m glad they could get on stage and celebrate with me like that.”

American Sada Jacobson, ranked No. 1 in the world, lost to Tan in the semifinals but bounced back to take the bronze.

Zagunis, of Beaverton, Ore., controlled the final, charging in on the opening point to score the first touch. Throughout the bout she took the initiative, scoring repeatedly on direct attacks. She also displayed the versatility to parry Tan’s advances and score on the counterattack.

“She practically showed everything we coaches wish to see in a bout,” her coach, Ed Korfanty said.

Alaistar Grant / AP American Mariel Zagunis, right, defeats Romania's Gheorghitoaia in their semifinal bout.

She almost didn’t get to show her skills at the Olympics at all. At the April cutoff date for qualifying, Sada Jacobson was No. 1 in the world, her sister Emily was No. 10 and Zagunis No. 11.

She didn’t earn a spot on the U.S. team until June, when the Nigerian Olympic Committee declined to have its fencer — Jacqueline Esimaje — participate in the competition. That opened up a spot in the field, which Zagunis filled as the highest-ranked fencer in the world who had not already qualified.

“I’m just happy in the first place that I was able to come here and compete,” Zagunis said.

Women’s saber is the newest of fencing’s six disciplines and is making its first appearance in the Olympics. The first world championship in women’s saber was held in 1999.

Saber is the fastest of fencing’s three weapons. The target area is the entire body above the bend in the hips, including the head. Unlike in foil and epee, saber fencers can score with the tip or the edge of the blade.

Zagunis, who is ranked fourth in the world, had more trouble with No. 31 Madoka Hisagae of Japan in her opening bout than she did with Tan, who is No. 5.

Although Zagunis never trailed after the break, Hisagae tied the score five times in the second half before Zagunis won 15-13.

“She was tense only in her first bout,” Korfanty said.

After that, Zagunis settled down, winning her next bout 15-11 and then defeating Romania’s Catalina Gheorghitoaia 15-10 in the semifinal.

Jacobson, on the other hand, struggled down the stretch against Tan, winning just two of the last eight points of their semifinal.

“It was kind of a disappointing bout for me,” Jacobson said. “I don’t feel like I performed the way I could have.”

After receiving some tips from Zagunis on how to attack Gheorghitoaia, Jacobson defeated the Romanian 15-7 to win the bronze.

“She gave me some advice on her strengths and weaknesses,” Jacobson said.

The bronze-medal bout took place before the final, so techincally Jacobson broke the United States’ 20-year medal drought in Olympic fencing. Peter Westbrook won a bronze in men’s saber at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

But it was Zagunis that broke the biggest streak, winning the first U.S. gold since Albertson Van Zo Post won in the long-forgotten single sticks event in 1904.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Zagunis said. “I’m so happy right now.”

Fencing - Women's Individual Sabre (medals: Aug. 17th) Medal Athlete Country Result Gold Mariel Zagunis United States 15-9 Silver Xue Tan China Bronze Sada Jacobson United States 15-7 NBCO: Schedules, preliminary result and complete final results

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