World fencing championships: U.S. women win sabre gold; France men win foil

The U.S. women's sabre team beat Russia 45-36 to take gold on the final day Saturday of the world fencing championships.

The French men also took the team foil title with a 45-32 win over Italy, and finished first at the event with 10 medals.

The American team was led by Mariel Zagunis, the Olympic sabre champion, and Sada Jacobson, who took bronze in the same event. They were the first two American women to ever medal at the Olympics. Hungary beat Poland for the bronze, 45-36.

The French foil team was led by Brice Guyart, the Olympic champion in the individual event. Host Germany edged China 45-40 for the bronze, but came away from the worlds without a gold for the first time since 1997, AP reports.

A.M.