Fencing Gold for ZAGUNIS (USA) and FISCHER (SUI) 18 Aug. 2
Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 8:04 pm
For those who like fencing, like some of you that go to the coffee house on friday. 
The first women's sabre Gold in Olympic history goes to ZAGUNIS.
Her mother, a former Olympic rower in the 1976 team with IOC member Anita DE FRANTZ (USA) was more then happy and hugged her daughter in the spectators stand.
ZAGUNIS entered the Olympic tournament by last minute chance.
Only the fact that Nigeria has not entered their qualified athlete made the impossible possible.
ZAGUNIS could enter the Olympics and she got the first women's gold medal in fencing for the US.
"I cannot believe that I did this, although this was my goal from when I started fencing," she said.
Similar reaction from the Swiss fencer Marcel FISCHER (SUI).
"I am still not realising that I did it, but it is just great," he said.
He beat Lei WANG (CHN) 15:9 in the gold medal match.
"I was only sure when I made point number 14 that I will be the Olympic Champion, but even leading 13:9 was not the guarantee," he said.
Wang as the surprise of the day.
He beat Sydney Olympic Chanpion Pavel KOLOBKOV (RUS) 15:10 in the semifinal.
Wang easily disposed of the former Olympic Champion.
After winning Gold in Sydney, Kolobkov now has the Bronze Medal from Athens.
He won in the Bronze Medal Match 15:8 against Eric BOISSE (FRA).
"The Olympic tournament is tough," said Kolobkov.
"And there are a lot of top fencers here.
"Especially in the epee events it is very difficult to predict who is going to be the winner."
FISCHER would have loved to compete against the Russian in the final: "I did not know much about WANG, but I would have loved to fence against KOLOBKOV in the final."
The women's final was the first ever female sabre event in Olympic history.
Most of the people would have had expected the current number one in the world ranking, Sada JACOBSON (USA) or her sister Emily, to be in the final.
But Sada lost the semi-final to TAN and grabbed finally the Bronze Medal after her 15:7 victory over Catalina GHEORGHITAIA.
Emily lost already in the round of last 16 against Leonore PERRUS (FRA) 13:15.
World number two Ane-Lise TOUYA (FRA) was a disappointment.
She lost her first and only match today against Ying ZHANG (CHN) 15:12.
ONS jf/sad
The first women's sabre Gold in Olympic history goes to ZAGUNIS.
Her mother, a former Olympic rower in the 1976 team with IOC member Anita DE FRANTZ (USA) was more then happy and hugged her daughter in the spectators stand.
ZAGUNIS entered the Olympic tournament by last minute chance.
Only the fact that Nigeria has not entered their qualified athlete made the impossible possible.
ZAGUNIS could enter the Olympics and she got the first women's gold medal in fencing for the US.
"I cannot believe that I did this, although this was my goal from when I started fencing," she said.
Similar reaction from the Swiss fencer Marcel FISCHER (SUI).
"I am still not realising that I did it, but it is just great," he said.
He beat Lei WANG (CHN) 15:9 in the gold medal match.
"I was only sure when I made point number 14 that I will be the Olympic Champion, but even leading 13:9 was not the guarantee," he said.
Wang as the surprise of the day.
He beat Sydney Olympic Chanpion Pavel KOLOBKOV (RUS) 15:10 in the semifinal.
Wang easily disposed of the former Olympic Champion.
After winning Gold in Sydney, Kolobkov now has the Bronze Medal from Athens.
He won in the Bronze Medal Match 15:8 against Eric BOISSE (FRA).
"The Olympic tournament is tough," said Kolobkov.
"And there are a lot of top fencers here.
"Especially in the epee events it is very difficult to predict who is going to be the winner."
FISCHER would have loved to compete against the Russian in the final: "I did not know much about WANG, but I would have loved to fence against KOLOBKOV in the final."
The women's final was the first ever female sabre event in Olympic history.
Most of the people would have had expected the current number one in the world ranking, Sada JACOBSON (USA) or her sister Emily, to be in the final.
But Sada lost the semi-final to TAN and grabbed finally the Bronze Medal after her 15:7 victory over Catalina GHEORGHITAIA.
Emily lost already in the round of last 16 against Leonore PERRUS (FRA) 13:15.
World number two Ane-Lise TOUYA (FRA) was a disappointment.
She lost her first and only match today against Ying ZHANG (CHN) 15:12.
ONS jf/sad