South Korea’s Kim Ji-yeon has won gold in the women's individual sabre at the London Olympics.

Kim beat Russia’s Sofya Velikaya 15-9 at the ExCel South Arena on Wednesday.

Her surprising victory makes her the first South Korean female fencer to win an Olympic crown. Previously, Nam Hyun-hee was the only female South Korean fencer to come close, winning silver at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Kim is also the first of her compatriots to earn a medal in the sabre event at the London games.