Romania’s team won the final of the women’s epee competition and the first gold medals for Romania at the Rio Olympics on Thursday, August 11.

This is Romania’s first medal at the Rio Olympics.

The Romanian women’s epee team, which is made of Ana Maria Popescu (Branza), Simona Deac, Simona Gherman, and Loredana Dinu had a great run.

They first beat the U.S. after a dramatic match, in which Ana Maria Popescu managed to come back from 20-23 and end the match at 24-23.

Then, in the semifinals, they defeated Russia 45-31. In the final, Romania beat China 44-38.

Romania has won 10 Olympic medals so far in women’s fencing, this being the second gold medal ever. The only other gold medal has been brought by Laura Beadea, who won the women’s foil individual competition at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Laura Badea and Romania also won the silver medal in the women’s foil team competition in Atlanta.

Ana Maria Branza also won a silver medal in the women’s epee individual competition at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. In Rio, she finished 9th in the individual competition.

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editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Comitetul Olimpic si Sportiv Roman on Facebook)