Fencing - Quarterfinals
Aug 9th, 2008 by Paul
If the seeding numbers are correct on NBC’s website, the quarter finals are:
- Sada Jacobson (USA) vs Olena Khomrova (Ukraine)
- Becca Ward (USA) vs Azza Besbes (the Tunisian fencer who already upset a couple of higher ranked fencers)
- Mariel Zagunis (USA) vs Yingying Bao (China)
- Xue Tan (China - Siver Medalist who beat Jacobson in 2004 in Athens to advance to the gold round but lost to Zagunis) vs Sofiya Velikaya (Russia)
I can only watch one bout so as much as I’m tempted to watch Becca Ward, I’ll stick with Mariel again.
Mariel has an early 5-2 lead - her footwork is much faster than the last bout and I think she is going to walk away with this one!
Just noticed… they’re both lefties as Mariel expands her lead to 9-3 before the first break.
Bah - bad call. You can’t call that a parry riposte. There was a parry but the action completely stopped before the attack from Bao. Oh well - its still 10-4.
Bao just walked into Zagunis’ outstretched blade without parrying. 13-4 now. Just after that though a very nice riposte from Bao to make it 13-6.
Ended closer than I thought it was going to - 15-9 - but Zagunis still advances to the semi-finals. Very nice match from Zagunis - if she keeps fencing like that she’s going to get the gold for sure!
Just switched to the Jacobson match in time to see her win 15-11, and Tan (silver medalist from 2004) get upset by Velikaya.
Last match - Becca Ward wins 15-14 over Besbes (which must have been a great match - for Besbes to get so far against Ward shows she must have really been on her game).
Now the Americans are guaranteed at least two medals in Women’s sabre - possibly all three!
Ward vs Zagunis
Jacobson vs Velikaya
Both EARLY (for us here at least) Saturday morning. Time for me to get some sleep.
