Taiwan men's épée team wins first-ever gold at Asian junior fencing tourney

Taipei, Feb. 27 (CNA) Taiwan's men's épée team won its first-ever gold medal at the Asian Cadet and Junior Fencing Championship in Indonesia on Friday, defeating Hong Kong 45-41 in the final.

Led by 19-year-old Lee Rang (李讓), the Taiwanese quartet -- also comprising Chen Bing-jyun (陳秉濬), Lin Jhe-cyun (林哲群) and Liu Han-wen (劉瀚文) -- upset strong contender China in the semifinals before edging Hong Kong for the title.

Team coach Lee Chun-cheng (李俊徵) told CNA that Lee, Chen and Lin have fenced together since their youth and developed strong chemistry, setting their sights on gold ahead of the tournament.

He said the trio's contrasting styles made it difficult for opponents to adjust, and, combined with a favorable draw, helped deliver what he described as "a pleasant surprise."

In addition to the team gold, Lee praised 17-year-old Chen for winning bronze in the individual event.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's women's sabre team also reached the gold medal match but fell 18-44 to China, earning silver and marking a new milestone in the team's history.

The championship was held Feb. 20-27 at the Jakarta International Convention Center.