Germany claim double fencing gold

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Video - Germany pair win fencing golds

Germany celebrated two gold medals in fencing on Wednesday after Benjamin Kleibrink won the men's individual foil and Britta Heidemann the women's epee.

Kleibrink beat Japan's Yuki Ota, while Heidemann saw off the challenge of Ana Maria Branza of Romania.

Earlier in the day, Britain's Richard Kruse was knocked out by the 2007 world champion Peter Joppich who won 10-9.

GB's Martina Emmanuel lost her opening match and in the men's individual sabre Alex O'Connell also suffered defeat.

Emmanuel lost her first match of the Olympics 15-7 to USA's Erinn Smart to crash out, while O'Connell lost 15-14 to Russia's Nikolay Kovalev.

Italy's Salvatore Sanzo, who lost to Ota in the semi-finals, claimed the bronze medal in the men's foil after defeating home favourite Zhu Jun.

The bronze in the women's epee event was won by Hungary's Ildiko Dr Mincza-Nebald.

Kruse, 25, was beaten by just one point in his second fight following his impressive opening 15-6 victory against Romanian Virgil Saliscan, Team GB's first fencing victory in Beijing.

The number one seed ended Kruse's hopes of repeating his quarter-final appearance in Athens, with the German eventually knocked out by Ota who won their quarter-final 15-12.

"It was a good fight and my fitness and preparations were spot on," Kruse said.

"There was nothing between Joppich and myself but he's very good at converting the last hit. I'm never sure at how I will perform at the Olympic Games, but it was good to win one fight and get a feel for the piste coming into this one.

BBC OLYMPICS BLOG Fencing starting to scratch the surface BBC Sport's Eleanor Oldroyd

The exit of all three British competitors ends Team GB's hopes of a medal from the National Fencing Hall.