Fencer Misaki Emura won her second consecutive world sabre title Thursday in Milan, making her the first Japanese man or woman to do so at the world championships.
Emura, ranked first in the world, defeated Greece's Despina Georgiadou 15-11 in the gold medal match.
In her semifinal against Theodora Gkountoura, also of Greece, Emura turned a 13-14 deficit into a 15-14 victory.
"Every point, I did what I decided to do," said the 24-year-old from Oita Prefecture in southwestern Japan. "I'm glad I did so through the end."
Japan's Kyosuke Matsuyama claimed bronze in the men's foil competition, won by Italy's Tommaso Marini.