Fencing-A French fencing queen is crowned in gold at the Grand Palais

PARIS :It was an evening for France. After three days of intense cheering for the local fencers, the Grand Palais crowd finally got the Olympic gold medal it craved in women's sabre at the Paris Games on Monday - and a silver one for good measure.

Manon Apithy-Brunet, a bronze medallist in Tokyo, won 15-12 in a final bout that left countrywoman Sara Balzer, the 2023 world champion, with a silver medal.

In freshly-crowned Apithy-Brunet, France has found a new fencing queen to fit the fancy setting of the event.

She made history as the first French fencer to win an Olympic title in women's saber, and the first in women's fencing overall since 'grande dame' Laura Flessel won gold in women's epee in Atlanta in 1996.

"It's the most beautiful day of my career," French coach Mathieu Gourdain told reporters. "Two medals in Paris, the most beautiful medals. What more can I ask for?"

"It was a possibility that they would both be in the final, but I hadn't prepared for it," he said. "It's hard because you know that at the end, there is one that loses."

"Manon had an incredible day, she is an Olympic champion. She's the first French sabre fencer Olympic champion. Sara is a silver medallist in the Paris Games, that's what we will enjoy."

Though Balzer entered the piste looking determined and focused and scored first, Apithy-Brunet quickly took over and was leading until victory, in a twist from earlier bouts throughout the day.

Before the finals, a cold-blooded yet fiery Balzer breezed through all the rounds, taking out veteran Olympian and champion Olga Kharlan of Ukraine 15-7 in less than two minutes in the semi-finals.

Kharlan went on to claim bronze, Ukraine's first medal of the Paris Games.

Apithy-Brunet had a more challenging day,