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.

So, the last set of bouts in the round of 32 included the bout of Race Imboden and Guilherme Toldo of Brazil. Race got the first touch really quickly, a disengage landing on the lower inner quadrant. Both Imboden and Toldo are lefties. Toldo attacked hard, but Imboden got right of way and landed a counter attack. After Imboden got a fourth point to go up 4-0, Guilherme changed foils. Imboden attacked and it landed. On the next point, Imboden's attack failed to land, but Toldo's counter attack with displacement did. The next point was also Toldo's. 2-5. Imboden then landed an attack that Toldo argued but didn't ask for video, and Toldo and Imboden shook hands before going en garde. Both men attacked, and it was called Imboden's and checked on the video (Toldo stopped in the middle, maybe). Imboden pushed Toldo down the piste and then did a compound attack. 8-2. Toldo fleched and then landed an attack, and the score was 4-8. Then Imboden attacked out of distance, recovered, and attacked again, landing this time. They were getting some, but not a ton, of off-targets. Imboden's counter attack landed whereas Toldo's fleche did not. Toldo's remise was off target. Imboden's attack didn't arrive, and Toldo landed a counter, and then Toldo's attack didn't hit and Imboden's parry riposte did. 11-5. Toldo fleched and was off target. Imboden beat attacked at pretty short distance to go up 12-5, and that was the score at the end of the period.

Toldo held his foil more with his thumb to the inside, in a three, than the traditional six. Imboden's attack landed, and then his counter attack landed. 14-5. He won on a counter attack. 15-5.

Next up was the first set of bouts in the round of 16. Alexander Massialas was against Alexey Cheremisinov of Russia.

Cheremisinov had a really narrow en garde. Cheremisinov, out of nowhere, started pushing and basically running Alexander down to score the first point. Alexander attacked and tied it. Alexander leaned a lot, and he bounced a bit. He landed another attack. Cheremisinov attacked, Alexander parried, and Cheremisinov's counter riposte scored. 2-2. Cheremisinov widened his en garde then. Alexander attacked and missed, and his remise was off target. Cheremisinov got a point on a remise.  Alexander's beat attack didn't land, and Cheremisinov's attack did. 4-2. Alexander attacked, and Cheremisinov's riposte was off target. Alexander's attack was then off target. Alexander's attack didn't land, and Cheremisinov's counter did. Alexander's next attack, to the lower outer quadrant, landed. 3-5. Cheremisinov then changed foils. Cheremisinov fleched and hit off target. Cheremisinov attacked, and Alexander turned as he tried to parry or counter attack, and Cheremisinov hit Alexander's back, on the shoulder area. Cheremisinov landed another touch to go up 7-3. Cheremisinov pushed Alexander really far back and landed a touch. At break, Cheremisinov was ahed 8-3. Alexander's attack to start the second period didn't land, and Cheremisinov's counter attack did. Cheremisinov attacked and hit off target. Alexander's next attack was also off target. Again, Alexander's attack failed to land, and Cheremisinov's counter attack did land. Alexander attacked, and Cheremisinov's riposte landed. 11-3. Cheremisinov attacked, Alexander displaced, and as Cheremisinov finished the attack, he passed Alexander before hitting him, so no point was awarded. Alexander's counter attack landed. Cheremisinov got another point with a parry riposte. 12-4. Cheremisinov's attack was no, the fencers stopped, and Alexander got the touch. 5-12. cheremisinov asked for a doctor, who sprayed something on his glove. Cheremisinov's en garde was really narrow again and very high -- his knees barely bent at all, most of the time. He only got lower when he was attacked or felt threatened. Alexander's counter riposte didn't land, and Cheremisinov's remise was off target. The next time, Cheremisinov's remise was on target. Cheremisinov's attack did not land, and Alexander's parry riposte was. Cheremisinov attacked to go up 14-6. Cheremisinov's remise was off target. His attack was then off target. Then Cheremisinov attacked, and it was on target. 15-6.

It was nice that I got to see Baldini's bout earlier, because then he was up against Race Imboden. Baldini had a much narrower en garde than did Race. Baldini fleched to score first. Race got a parry riposte. 1-1. Baldini's counter parry riposte was off target. Then Baldini's attack was off target. Race's attack landed. Race was celebrating pretty impressively. Baldini's attack was off target. Baldini's parry riposte landed. 2-2. Baldini's attack landed. Race fell and came unclipped, so nothing was done. Baldini's attack was off target. Baldini's beat attack landed. Race's attack landed. 3-4. Baldini attacked, and Race's riposte was off target. Baldini attacked and it landed. The next touch was ruled simultaneous, and Baldini asked for video, but the call was confirmed. Race's attack didn't land, and Baldini's displacing counter attack was off target. Race's attack landed. 4-5. Race's attack landed again to tie the score. Baldini's counter attacks landed twice. 7-5 Baldini. Baldini scored two more times to go up 9-5, and that was the score at period.

Baldini landed an attack to start the second period, and then his parry riposte landed. 11-5. Baldini fleched off target. Baldini's parry riposte landed. Race had to do something to stop or prevent Baldini's parry riposte. He pushed Baldini really far down his part of the piste, and then Baldini's parry riposte was off target. Race's next two attacks landed. 7-12. Baldini attacked and it was off target. Race's parry riposte was off target. Race's counter attack then landed. 8-12. Baldini's parry riposte landed. Baldini's attack didn't land, and Race's counter attack did. 9-13. Baldini pushed Race really hard and attacked. Race tried to parry riposte from one knee, but no. Baldini won on a parry riposte, 15-9. It's Baldini's parry ripostes that won this bout for him against the number 5 in the world (who dropped to number 9 after this).

Also notable in the round of 16, Yuki Ota lost 14-15 to the world number 1, Andrea Cassara.

In the quarterfinals, I watched Andrea Cassara against Alaaeldin Abouelkassem of Egypt. Abouelkassem attacked, and Cassara's riposte was off target.  Abouelkassem's attack didn't land, and Cassara's counter attack did, for the first point of the bout. Cassara's riposte landed. Abouelkassem leaned a lot and bent his knees more than did Cassara. Abouelkassem scored his first point on a counter riposte. 1-2. Abouelkassem's beat attack landed to tie the score. Cassara pushed Abouelkassem down the strip but failed to land his attack, and Abouelkassem's attack was off target. Cassara's counter attack was then off target. The referee then warned both fencers against coming corps-a-corps. Cassara's attack was parried, but the riposte was no, and Cassara's remise was yes. 3-2 Cassara. Cassara's attack was off target. Abouelkassem parried Cassara's attack, and his riposte landed. Cassara really pushed Abouelkassem (all the way to the back of the strip) and got a point. Cassera attacked and got another touch. 5-3. Cassara was pushing, then Abouelkassem attacked and got the touch. Cassara pushed and attacked. 6-4 Cassara. Abouelkassem's remise landed. Cassara's attack didn't land (too high), and Abouelkassem's counter attack did. 6-6. The ruling was that Cassara's counter riposte landed, but Abouelkassem asked for a review, and the call was changed. There was no counter parry; Abouelkassem's riposte landed.

Abouelkassem started the second period with two touches to go up 9-6. Now he was almost hunched over. Cassara attacked and got the point. Abouelkassem's attack was off target. Then Cassara attacked, but Abouelkassem parried and the riposted landed. 10-7. Cassara again attacked, and Abouelkassem's riposte again scored. Abouelkassem's attack was off target, and Cassara fell. (I've seen more falling today than I've ever seen in a day of fencing.) Cassara's riposte was off target. the next touch was ruled Cassara's attack and touch. After a review, this was confirmed -- attack in prep. Abouelkassem's riposte was off target. Cassara's remise was off target. Cassara's remise was then on target. 9-11. Abouelkassem's next two touches were parry ripostes. 13-9. Cassara's attack didn't land, and Abouelkassem's counter attack did. Cassara's remise then landed. 10-14. Cassara's attack was off target. Abouelkassam fleched to win the bout 15-10 and defeat the number 1 fencer in the world.

In the other bouts, Lei Sheng of China defeated Valerio Aspromonte (number  2 in the world!) of Italy 15-8, Andrea Baldini defeated Alexey Cheremisinov 15-5, and Choi Byungchul of Korea defeated Ma Jianfei of China.

The Italians have the top three foil fencers in the world, but Giorgio Avola is only competing in the team foil event. So the top two fencers today were both Italian, but neither made it out of the quarters. In the semis are number 6 Choi Byungchul, number 8 Alaaeldin Abouelkassem, number 9 Lei Sheng, and number 14 Andrea Baldini.

(An Italian could still win)

Baldini got the first touch in the first semi by fleching. Lei got his first point with a counter attack where the attack didn't land. Baldini's attack was off target. Lei went up 2-1 with a parry riposte. Baldini's attack was no, the fencers stopped,and Lei's touch was yes. Baldini's counter riposte landed.Lei attacked and went up 4-2. Baldini got a touch on a prise de fer and then an attack after Lei's attack was no. 4-4. Lei got the next two touches on parry ripostes. Baldini's parry riposte was off target. Lei got the next two points to go up 8-5. Baldini's attack was no, then there was a stop, and Lei's attack landed. Baldini's attack landed. Lei's parry riposte then landed. 10-6. Baldini scored the next two points on parry ripostes. Lei's parry riposte landed. 11-8. both men attacked, but Lei had clear right of way. Lei's attack landed, and he went up 13-8. Lei was pushing Baldini, and Baldini went to far to the left side of the strip and fell off. Lei helped him back up. Baldini attacked, and the score at the end of the first period was 9-13.

Lots of off targets to start the second period. Baldini attacked and scored the first point of the period. Lei attacked to make the score 14-10. Baldini's attack landed. Baldini's attack didn't land, but Lei's did, so Lei won, 15-11.

Abouelkassem and Choi started with lots of movement, even an attack that was no, but on that, nothing was yes or off-target, so it was just a halt. Then there were a couple of off targets. More than a minute into the fencing time, the score remained 0-0.

Then there was a really complicated attack. Choi came forward, attacking repeatedly (sometimes out of distance), and when he got pretty close, Abouelkassem jumped to try to get a touch on Choi's back, but he ended up tripping over Choi, falling, and rolling off the strip. He was okay, and Choi immediately checked that he was okay, but Choi still got a yellow card.

Then Choi scored on a beat attack for the first point of the bout, with 1:15 remaining in the period. Even the referee said, "Oh, finalement." Abouelkassem attacked and hit, though this was after a series of paries and failed ripostes that involved Choi falling backwards. Abouelkassem then scored on a parry riposte to go up 2-1. Choi was appel-ing, but it wasn't doing much good. Abouelkassem's attack was off target. The first period ended 2-1, Abouelkassem.

The second period started more quickly, with the fencers being pretty agressive. Choi attacked, and his attack landed. Then Abouelkassem's attack landed. Abouelkassem's beat attack was off target, and then Choi's beat attack was off target. Abouelkassem's beat attack was no, and then the fencers reset, flowing a bit, then Abouelkassem's attack was out of distance,  and then both lunged. Abouelkassem lunged in Choi's prep and was off target. Then both fencers got really low, and Choi appeled more. Abouelkassem hit off target. Choi attacked Abouekassem in prep, but Abouelkassem parried, and his riposte landed. 4-2. Abouelkassem's attack landed. Choi's remise landed. Choi's parry riposte right as he passed Abouelkassem landed, and it was called that it occurred before he passed Abouelkassem, so it counted for a point. 4-5. Both fencers had their blades lower than normal. Both attacked, and it was ruled that Abouelkassem had right of way, and his was off target. At break, the score was 4-5, Abouelkassem leading.

And then the third period was wildly different from the first two. It didn't start out like that. Not much happening, some out of distance aggressive attacks. Choi's attack landed off target. Abouelkassem's attack landed on Choi's leg -- off target. Choi attacked really, really quickly, and Abouelkassem counter attacked and got out of the way. 6-4. Choi attacked, so the score was 5-6 with two minutes left. Choi fell on an attack where he kept whacking Abouelkassem with the side of his foil, and he got a red card. Choi attacked, Abouelkassem got out of the way and landed a touch on Choi's back. 8-5. Choi's attack was off target. Then his attack was no, and Abouelkassem's counter landed. Abouelkassem's beat attack was off target. Abouelkassem's attack landed, so he was up 10-5. Choi pushed really hard and fast, and his attack landed. This his beat attack landed. 7-10. Choi was being really aggressive and it was finally working. Choi attacked with a really exaggerated balestra, and Abouelkassem fell as it hit. 8-10. Choi attacked again, and again it landed. Choi really didn't have much control after his touches at this point. Abouelkassem had gained and then lost control in less than two minutes. Choi attacked again, and the ruling was that he turned his back before getting the touch. That's another red card, so the point went to Abouelkassem. Choi's attack was no, Abouelkassem's counter attack was yes. 12-9. Choi attacked and it landed. Abouelkassem parried Choi's attack and his riposte landed. 13-10. Then Choi scored on an attack. Choi attacked, Abouelkassem parried, the remise was over the shoulder, and Choi's remise was yes. 12-13. Choi then changed foils. Abouelkassem's attack was off target. Choi attacked, Abouelkassem parried, and the riposte was no, but Choi fell over, and Choi was red carded *again*. Abouelkassem parried Choi's beat attack and his riposte landed. 15-12.

Choi v. Baldini for bronze

Choi scored first on an attack. It then looked like Choi hurt himself, but it was hard to tell what happened, and he didn't call for a doctor. Both then attacked each other, off target. Choi's attack was off target. Baldini's attack landed. 1-1. Choi attacked, pushing hard, and was off target. Baldini's riposte was off target. Baldini attacked, Choi displaced, and Baldini hit after he had passed Choi, so no touch. Then Choi got a yellow card. He's just collecting cards today. Choi's attack was off target. Baldini's attack landed. 2-1. Baldini attacked, it was no, then Choi hit. Choi's beat attack landed. Baldini's attack around the back of his head landed. And then Choi got a red card, but they looked at the video and said that was a mistake, no red card, but Baldini's point. 3-3. Choi's touch landed. Baldini suspected there were issues with Choi's equipment -- cord or lame, so Choi undressed and redressed, and then they tested, and then they started fencing again. Choi counter attacked for the first touch about the delay, and then he got an attack in prep and then a beat attack to go up 7-3. Baldini attacked and hit. Baldini got the next hit, too, and then Choi got an attack that landed. 8-5. Choi fleched and didn't hurt, and he ended up off the strip, but that's not all the unusual. Baldini's attack was no, and then Choi hit. 9-5, Choi, was the score at the end of the period.

the first touch of the second period was a remise by Baldini after Choi's riposte was no. Two attacks by Choi landed. 11-6. Baldini's attack landed. A remise by Choi puts him up 12-7... And Choi got a red card for something. So 11-8, not 12-7. Choi attacked and was now up 12-8. Baldini's attack landed. Baldini then hit off target. Baldini's attack was no, and then Choi hit. 13-9. Baldini's next two attacks landed. Choi fleched and hit. 14-11. Baldini's beat attack landed, and then he displaced down and hit off target. Baldini's remise landed, so 13-14. Baldini attacked and hit, so the score was 14-14. La belle... at the end of a period.

The third period started with an off target, fifteen seconds into fencing time. And then Choi's attack landed, and Choi was the bronze medalist.

Final

The first touch came when Lei's attack was no and Abouelkassem's counter attack landed. Lei's attack then landed. Lei's counter riposte was no, but Abouelkassem's remise landed. 2-1. Lei's counter attack landed.  Lei's parry riposte scored the next point. Lei's attack in prep put the score at 4-2. Abouelkassem's weapon forearm cramped, so he took a medical time out. Lei hit with a remise. Lei fell backwards on Abouelkassem's off target remise and got a yellow card. Abouelkassem's counter attack was off target. Lei's attack then landed. 6-2.Abouelkassem got two points with parry ripostes. Then Lei scored with a parry riposte on a counter attack. 7-4. Lei pushed Abouelkassem and hit with a reprise. Abouelkassem's attack in prep landed, and 8-5 was the score at the end of the period.

Abouelkassem started the period quickly by landing a counter attack. Lei's counter attack was off target. Lei's attack was no, and a counter attack by Abouelkassem hit. 7-8. Lei's attack landed off target. Then there was lots of blade contact and some attacking, but nothing landed. Lei's attack landed, and then his remise landed. 10-7. Then Lei got a red card, maybe for corps a corps?  Lei's attack was off target. Abouelkassem was given a yellow card, I think for turning his back. Score was 9-8, Lei leading. Lei attacked, and his attack landed. Then his attack was off target. Lei's attack didn't land, and Abouelkassem's counter attack did. Abouelkassem tied the score at 10 with another counter attack. Yet another counter attack put him ahead. Lei's attack landed (you know, after three that didn't), tying the score again. At the end of the period, the score was tied at 11.

Abouelkassem started the period with two counter attacks. To win, Lei needed to do something different, because Abouelkassem's counter attacks were consistently scoring. Lei switched foils. (Not the kind of change I had in mind...) Abouelkassem's parry riposte didn't land, and then Lei's remise did. Abouelkassem attacked this time, and Lei's counter attack landed. Tied at 13. Lei's attack landed, though both men attacked. Video confirmed Lei had right of way. Abouelkassem's attack was off target, and then his remise was off target, and then once again his attack was off target. The next point, both lights went off, and Lei's was ruled the attack, so Lei won the gold medal, 15-13.