Germany's Britta Heidemann celebrates after winning the women's individual epee final match over Romania's Ana Maria Branza on August 13, 2008 at the Fencing Hall of National Convention Center as part of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Heidemann won the gold medal.    [Agencies]

BEIJING -- Germany's Britta Heidemann defeated Ana Maria Branza of Romania 15-11 to win the Olympic gold medal in the women's individual epee event here on Wednesday.

The bronze went to Hungarian player Ildiko Dr Mincza-Nebald.

The gold medal match was sheerly lop-sided, as Branza trailed behind her German rival all the way from 0-1 to 11-15.

Heidemann, number one in the International Fencing Federation's world rankings, was a member of Germany's women's epee team that won the silver medal at the Athens Games.

The 26-year-old fencer, born in Cologne, Germany, can speak fluent Chinese. She first came to China more than a decade ago as a student, and had known Chinese fencers such as fourth place winner Li Na from that time.