Russia retained the Olympic women's fencing team epee title with a 34-28 win over Germany in the final. Defending world champions Russia made a good start through Tatiana Logounova while Oxana Ermakova and Anna Sivkova picked up points regularly.
Top seeds Germany had reached the final by coming from behind to beat France in extra time.
Laura Flessel-Colovic, the individual silver medallist, helped France claim bronze with a 45-37 win against Canada.
"(The players) were crying at the end and I think at the beginning they were tears of disappointment," said German team manager Gordon Rapp.
"It was only later they realised what they had achieved. I think now they are very happy with the silver medal."
Rapp also admitted the Germans had been fortunate to get to the final.
"We won both of our previous matches very late in extra-time so I think we had all the luck that we needed," he said.
"But it wasn't enough in the final."
MMIX
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