Defending champion Zhong Man of China lost to Hungarian Aron Szilagyi 15-10 in the round of 16 at the men's sabre competition of the Olympic Games on Sunday.

Szilagyi won five match points when he led by 14-9, and Zhong saved one but fell at the next.

"I don't think it's a big regret, he is better than me," Zhong said. "My dream came true four years ago in Beijing, my goal here is to enjoy the game. You know, it's impossible for me to defend the gold."

The 29-year-old Chinese fencing icon, who won China's first ever men's fencing Olympic gold four years ago in Beijing, beat Kim Junghwan of South Korea 15-14 in a roller-coaster battle to qualify for the last 16.