Women's sabre team reclaims Asian Games gold after 8-year drought, defeating Japan

South Korea's women's sabre fencing team defeated Japan to reclaim the Asian Games team title for the first time in eight years.

The squad — Jeon Ha-young of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Kim Jeong-mi and Seo Ji-yeon of Ansan City Hall, and Choi Se-bin of Daejeon Metropolitan City Hall — routed Japan 45-31 in the women's sabre team final at Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, on Sunday at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

South Korea, which had claimed gold at the 2014 Incheon and 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, shook off the disappointment of a bronze at the Hangzhou Games to reclaim the throne after eight years. The gold was also the South Korean delegation's 20th gold medal of the Games.

South Korea advanced to the final with a bye in the round of 16, then beat Hong Kong 45-28 in the quarterfinals before defeating China 25-29 in the semifinals. Jeon Ha-young, a former world No. 1 who had been eliminated in the individual event quarterfinals, delivered a standout performance as the team's ace.

South Korea seized control from the outset in the final against Japan, which had beaten them in the Hangzhou Games semifinals. Choi Se-bin won the opening round 5-2 against individual event gold medalist Emura Misaki, and Jeon Ha-young and Seo Ji-yeon extended the lead to 15-8 through three rounds.

By the halfway point at round five, South Korea had stretched the margin to double digits at 25-15. A mid-match substitution — Seo Ji-yeon was replaced by Kim Jeong-mi after colliding with an opponent during round seven — did nothing to disrupt the team's momentum. Jeon Ha-young sealed the gold with the 45th point against Emura in the ninth and final round.

Earlier in the day, Park Sang-young, Jang Hyo-min of Ulsan Metropolitan City Hall, Nam Yeon-ho of Korea National Sport University, and Kwon O-min of the Armed Forces Athletic Corps claimed silver in the men's épée team event.

South Korea's fencing team finished the Games with four gold medals, four silvers and two bronzes. Japan, which won six gold medals, overtook South Korea for the overall fencing title — ending a run of consecutive top finishes stretching from the 2010 Guangzhou Games through Hangzhou — leaving South Korea in second place overall.