BARCELONA ’92 OLYMPICS / DAY 6 : WEIGHTLIFTING : Kassapu Wins Gold Medal and Gets to Face the Music

Fedor Kassapu snatched the gold medal in the middleweight division from Pablo Lara, Cuba’s world champion, and listened with pride as the Moldovan national anthem was played for the first time at an Olympic medal ceremony.

“I felt that the whole of Moldova was following me and that their eyes were with me,” he said. “This is their first gold medal. I feel very happy about that.”

Still, the medal goes in the column of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

North Korea’s Kim Myong Nam took the bronze.

EQUESTRIAN

Ryan Makes It Double Gold

Australian underdog Matt Ryan won the gold medal in the three-day equestrian event and led his country to the team title as well.

Ryan, overcoming showjumping weaknesses that have hurt him in past competitions, knocked down just one fence after an aggressive cross-country performance Wednesday had given him a solid lead.

“I can tell you, there will be some celebrations tonight,” Ryan said.

Jill Walton of Walnut had the highest finish for an American in 17th place, and Mike Plumb of Hamilton, Mass., finished 48th. The U.S. team was 10th.

FENCING

Italy’s Trillini Foils Huifeng

World champion Giovanna Trillini of Italy came from behind to defeat Wang Huifeng of China, 5-6, 5-3, 6-5, to win the gold in women’s individual foil. Tatiana Sadovskaia of the CIS took the bronze.

Trillini, 22, won the individual and team foil last year in the World Championships and also was a team winner in the world meet in 1990.

American hopeful Caitlin Banos-Bilodeaux of Concord, Mass., finished 29th, losing to third-ranked Francesca Bortolozzi of Italy. Banos-Bilodeaux, who is married to Canadian sabre fencer Jean-Marie Banos, finished 11th in 1988.

MEDALISTS

* EQUESTRIAN

(Individual three-day)

GOLD: Matthew Ryan (Australia)

SILVER: Herbert Blocker (Germany)

BRONZE: Robert Tait (New Zealand)

(Team three-day)

GOLD: Australia

SILVER: New Zealand

BRONZE: Germany

* FENCING

(Women’s individual foil)

GOLD: Giovanna Trillini (Italy)

SILVER: Wang Huifeng (China)

BRONZE: Tatiana Sadovskaia (CIS)

* WEIGHTLIFTING

(165 pounds)

GOLD: Fedor Kassapu (CIS)

SILVER: Pablo Lara (Cuba))

BRONZE: Kim Myong Nam (North Korea)