TAEGU (South Korea), Aug 23: Swashbuckling Asian champion Kim Hee-jeong won South Korea’s first ever fencing gold at the world university games with a dramatic 8-7 victory over China’s Zhang Li on Saturday.

Kim’s triumph was one of four gold medals won by South Korea on the second full day of competition in Taegu, the hosts plundering three more in taekwondo to top the medals standings with five golds overall.

The 28-year-old Kim, who won a gold medal at the 2002 Asian Games in Pusan, scored the winning point on a superb counter thrust with just 37 seconds left in the third and final round to take the women’s epee individual title.

Meanwhile, South Korea remained on course to achieve their target of eight gold medals in their national sport taekwondo — half of the 16 on offer at the student games.

Kim Hak-hwan beat Iranian Tajik Ali 16-12 in a bad-tempered final of the men’s 78kg division, halting a late fightback from his opponent with a vicious high kick to the face with just over a minute left.

Seoul-based student Jang Eun-suk won gold in the women’s flyweight class, outclassing Wu Yen-ni of Taiwan 4-0 in a one-sided final.

Taiwan made amends as Chu Mu-yen won the men’s flyweight title with a 3-0 result over Dincsalman Kivanc of Turkey.

But South Korea had the last word, Hwang Kyung-hwa taking gold in the women’s 67kg division with a 5-3 victory over Spaniard Ibone Lallana.

Elsewhere, former American collegiate rookie of the year Heather Schreiber scored 23 points as the United States got back on track in the women’s basketball with a 104-63 victory over Thailand in Group B.

Upset 81-64 by Italy on Friday, the U.S. will need to improve to beat Group C winners China in the next phase of the competition.

Meanwhile, North Korea’s much-hyped participation in the games has even sparked interest inside the Stalinist country with one Pyongyang-based camera crew filming daily highlights for North Korean television.

The 6-0 thumping North Korea inflicted on Germany in the women’s soccer on Friday was broadcast on late-night North Korean television, along with Thursday’s opening ceremony, at which North and South marched together under a borderless flag.

The 200-strong North Korean team are staying in a remote part of Taegu with five people to a room and have brought their own bottled water with them.

Medals standings

G S B T

1. South Korea 5 1 0 6

2= China 1 1 2 4

2= Taiwan 1 1 2 4

4. Italy 1 0 0 1

5= Spain 0 1 1 2

5= Iran 0 1 1 2

5= Ukraine 0 1 1 2

8= Turkey 0 1 0 1

8= United States 0 1 0 1

10= France 0 0 2 2

10= Japan 0 0 2 2

12= Britain 0 0 1 1

12= Croatia 0 0 1 1

12= Thailand 0 0 1 1

12= Netherlands 0 0 1 1

12= Israel 0 0 1 1

—Reuters