USA Women’s Saber Fencing Team Captures Gold in Orleans!

(Photos courtesy of Dagmara Wozniak!)

The USA women’s saber fencing team captured GOLD today in Orleans, France!

Mariel Zagunis, Dagmara Wozniak, Daria Schneider and Emily Jacobson each fenced strongly throughout the day as the US team beat Romania 45-44, Italy 45-29, Ukraine 45-39 and finally the French team 45-44.   GO TEAM USA!

check out the massive jumbotron screens used for the finals!

Here is Dagmara Wozniak’s take on it via FB message moments ago:
I’m just going to say that today was so much fun. I haven’t had such a great team dynamic and really it plays such an important part in how we support each other and fence for each other.

And, from Daria Schneider:
Ed is really great team coach and it wasawesome to have an opportunity to fence so many strong fencers and be able to try out what we have been working on with him in a competitive setting.

And a packed stadium! I hope we do this up right when we have our NYC world cup!

Word up Dags and Daria! Daga kept me posted throughout the day via text message as we fenced here im Budapest.  We finished 6th.   More on that tomorrow when I have the energy to write another post! 

So happy for the girls!  We’ll be seeing them in a few days in Moscow for a joint men’s and women’s saber Grand Prix event in Russia!

World University Games in Belgrade: Wang of China Wins in Men’s Saber; Yakimenko of Russia injured

The prestigous World University Games in Belgrade are under way…(No US fencers are competing, but many of the top fencers in the world are there)

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE RESULTS! (It’s a little confusing to figure out)

Headlines:
In men’s saber, Jingzhi Wang  of China defeats Bukievich of Belarus for Gold 15-14.  Zhong and Samelle of Italy are 3rd.

In women’s epee, Ewa Nelip of Poland defeats Deac Simona of Romania 15-13 for Gold.  Kochneva Olga of Russia and Nakano Nozomi are 3rd.

In big news,  it’s being reported that one of the top ranked saber fencers in the world and recent Silver Medalist at the Dallas World Cup Alexey Yakimenko of Russia tore his achilles tenden and will miss European zonals and most likely World Championships. 

If true, this is devastating news for a fencer who would be one of the favorites to win World Championships.  You never want to see athletes get injured.

This is a big weekend for fencing!

Pan American Games, US Nationals and World University games are all happening on this weekend!

Bulgaria Men’s Saber Grand Prix Results: Daryl Homer Top-16. Rest USA Team out in 64. Limbach Wins Competition

Day 2:
Daryl Homer in his first international competition makes top-16 defeating Romanian Hanceanu and Polish fencer Dominik.    He eventualy lost to Lopez of France to make the top-8.  

 Congratulations to Daryl on a great result!

Daryl's picture from GQ magazine last year

The rest of the American team didn’t fare as well.   They all lost in the top-64.  I’m slowly getting results and details from Jason Rogers as he texts me from Bulgaria. 

Semi-Finals Individual:
Limbach (GER) defeats Dumetrescu (ROM) in Semi-final
 Desci (Hun) defeats Montano (ITA)

Finals:
Limbach Defeats Desci for Gold

Day 1

I’m sitting this one out so my update comes via email from Jason Rogers.  

They have just finished day one.  Here are pool results and match-ups for the bracket of 64:

Ben Igoe won all bouts and fencing Nemscik HUN 

* rematch from Budapest when Ben prevailed

 

James Williams 5-1 fencing Beaudry CAN

 

Daryl Homer 5-1 fencing Hanceanu ROM

* Daryl’s first international world cup so great result so far

 

Mike Etropolski 2-4 and went through, fencing Tarantino Italy

 

Luther Clement 3-3, lost to Dolceanu BLR

Jason Rogers 3-3, lost to Kosikov of Russia 13-15