Women's Individual Sabre

The two Americans in women’s sabre were Dagmara (or Daga) Wozniak and the two-time reigning Olympic champion, Mariel Zagunis. (Note: women’s sabre first became an Olympic event in 2004, so Mariel was the only women’s sabre Olympic champion.)

Mikini v. Bujdoso in the round of 32. Bujdoso attacked for the first two points. Her next point came on a parry riposte. Bujdoso scored again, and then again on a counter attack. 5-0. She attacked for a sixth point. Then Mikina's parry riposte landed, and then Bujdoso's attack was no and Mikina's was yes. Then simultaneous. Bujdoso attacked twice. 8-2 Bujdoso. Only thirty seconds of fencing time had passed.

Bujdoso's counter attack landed to start the second period. Then Mikina's attack hit. 3-9. Bujdoso's attack scored, then Mikina's did. Mikina's counter attack landed and Bujdoso's attack didn't. 5-10. Mikina pushed Bujdoso, and Bujdoso's attack scored, and then again. Then Bujdoso pushed hard and scored. 11-7. Bujdoso's counter attack put her up 12-7. Mikina's attack, then on the next point Bujdoso's attack was no and Mikina's counter was yes. Mikina's attack landed. 10-12. Then there was a simultaneous, nothing done. Mikina attacked and scored. 11-12. She was really coming back -- impressive. Bujdoso then scored on an composed attack. Then simultaneous. Mikina's counter attack landed and Bujdoso's attack did not. 12-13. Simultaneous again. Mikina attacked and Bujdoso fell, and then Mikina attacked again. 14-13, Mikina leading for the first time! Bujdoso attacked, and Mikina parried and her riposte landed. 15-13, Mikina, not at all would have been expected after the first period.

In Mariel’s round of 32 bout, she didn't look really sharp in the first period, and she let her opponent get some simple attacks. However she also pushed well, and she got some nice parry ripostes. In Daga’s round of 32 bout, and she was moving really well and seemed calm. I hadn't noticed that both she and Mariel are lefties. Her next opponent was Azza Besbes of Tunisia, world #8. Mariel’s next opponent was Seira Nakayama of Japan. Nakayama is world #25.

Men's Individual Epee

The Americans fencing in men’s epee were Seth Kelsey and Soren Thompson. Thompson lost 4-15 in the round of 32. Kelsey, though, won in the round of 32 and the round of 16.

Seth Kelsey v. Fernandez in quarters.

Kelsey fleched for the first point. Fernandez attacked to Kelsey's torso. Fernandez was awarded the next touch on an opposition parry, but Kelsey asked for video, and the touch was ruled nothing done. Then there was a double touch, Fernandez's attack and Kelsey's counter attack. Then Kelsey scored. Fernandez's attack and Kelsey's counter attack did not land, then Kelsey's attack did. Double touch. Kelsey was ahead at 5-3 at break.

Kelsey started the second period by landing a counter attack. Then a double touch. Kelsey attacked, and Fernandez's counter attack landed but Kelsey's attack didn't. Then double touch, with Kelsey attacking. 6-8. Fernandez attacked, and his attack landed. Kelsey attacked, and Fernandez displaced down for a double touch. Kelsey fleched to go up 10-8, and then his next attack landed. Both fencers stayed pretty high, and they each bounced a little bit. Kelsey was ahead 11-8 to end the second period.

Kelsey scored the first point of the final period on a fleche. Fernandez attacked, and the attack missed, but Kelsey's counter landed. 13-8. Fernandez called for a halt and asked for a doctor -- he lunged and aggravated something. After a couple of minutes with ice, he got back up, and they started fencing again. Fernandez's attack didn't land, but Kelsey's counter did. 14-8. Fernandez attacked and got a hit. 9-14. Kelsey attacked with 10 seconds left in the period to win 15-9. Kelsey was the first American going through to the semis in a fencing event this Olympics.

Earlier in the day, Kelsey defeated the world #1, Nikolai Novosjolov, 15-11. The world #2 also lost in the round of 16, and the #3 lost in the quarters. #s 4 and 5 lost in the round of 16... lots of highly ranked fencers lost. The people remaining have the following rankings (some of these might be slightly off):

Ruben Limardo Gason -- #18

Jung Jinsun -- #9

Bartosz Piasecki -- #47

Seth Kelsey -- #25

Men's Individual Foil

I started watching during the third set of bouts in the round of 32. There were three Americans competing in men's individual foil. Alexander Massialas, number 12 seed and number 13 in the world, won 15-6. Miles Chamley-Watson had lost 10-15. Race Imboden, number 5 in the world, was yet to fence.

Baldini of Italy was leading Miyake of Japan 12-4 with a minute left in the second period. Baldini landed a touch to Miyake's upper torso, but Miyake thought his own off target had right of way. The point was awarded to Miyaki after video, and 13-4 was the score at break. This was a bout of two lefties. Miyake tried to fleche, and both fencers hit off target. Miyake tried again, and was still off target. Miyake then got a touch in some in fighting. Baldwin got a touch to go up 14-5. Miyake fleched and hit. Baldini fleched and missed. Both Miyake and Baldini attacked, but Miyake's did not land, and Baldini's did, so Baldini won 15-6.

Notably in this set of bouts: the reigning Olympic champion, Benjamin Kleibrink of Germany, was defeated by Yuki Ota of Japan. Ota won silver in Beijing. They met so early because their rankings have dropped significantly.