Israel snags first-ever European fencing gold

Winning 15-9, Frielich brought home the gold against Italy’s Andrea Santarelli, in the Tuesday's match.

Final of the Challenge Réseau Ferré de France–Trophée Monal 2012 (photo credit: MARIE-LAN NGUYEN / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)
Final of the Challenge Réseau Ferré de France–Trophée Monal 2012
(photo credit: MARIE-LAN NGUYEN / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)
Yuval Frielich, 24, made history by being the first Israeli to ever win the men's individual epee tournament on day two of the European Fencing Championships in June. 
"It's the most incredible feeling, it was a fantastic day, everything connected, the fencing, the energy, the feeling, it just all came together and this is what came out, amazing!" Frielich said after he won in a European Confederation Facebook video. "A really unbelievable feeling."
"It was a day out of the movies, it was really wonderful, and anyone who supported me to do these things, I hope you will experience this [success] in the near future," Frielich said in Hebrew. 
Winning 15-9, Frielich brought home the gold against Italy’s Andrea Santarelli, in the Tuesday's match. While Frielich had a rough start, he was able to beat Santarelli, who was 13th in the world. Frielich ranked 40th.
“I’ve been to the top of the mountain and then down in the valley. Now I’m back at the top and it’s great," Ohad Balva, Frielich's coach said after the match referencing an Israel Bronze win in 2010, according to the European Confederation. "Yuval fenced so well today to become the Champion and we got two other top sixteen finishes, so it’s a good day for Israel.  Now we have to continue to fence strongly and humbly.”