Beijing’s Games III: The Psychology of the Team Game
The team event is the wild card in fencing. By history of the sport and temperament of the athletes, fencing is an individual sport. But the team event has taken on increasing importance in recent years. Team competition is critical to the success of the national teams. It is the only realistic way to put 3 fencers in the Olympic Games, and create 4 chances to win a medal.
Britta Heidemann added to Germany's medal count today as she joined fellow fencer Benjamin Kleibrink with a gold medal for fencing. Heidemann won the women's epee event by defeating #2 seed Ana Maria Branza (ROU) 15-11.
Benjamin Kleibrink entered the semi finals carrying the hopes of Germany for the gold medal. Earlier in the day the gold medal favorite and 3 time world champion Peter Joppich was eliminated by Kleibrink's foe, Japan's Yuki Ota. Kleibrink exited as the gold medal winner after defeating Ota 15-9 in the 2008 Olympic Men's Foil event.
Though Gerek Meinhardt is the youngest fencer in his event by over 4 years, he didn't let his youth or inexperience get the better of him. Meinhardt, the #9 seed, easily won hist first match against Egyptian Mostafa Nagati before losing to semi-finalist Zhu in the round of 16.
The stands were shaking and the noise levels at the Fencing Hall well above most rock concerts as ZHONG Man of China scored 6 unanswered points to run away with the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Men's Sabre competition. Nicolas Lopez (FRA) led by as many as two points, and was up 8-6 at the break, but unable to hold on as Zhong tied the match and then took control.
"Keeth, you are going to lose this bout if you run away." That was the message delivered by coach Yuri Gelman during the break in Smart's top 16 match against Aron Szigyi of Hungary. Keeth applied pressure in the second period and used a combination of lighting fast (and long) flunging attacks and a few well timed ripostes to run away with a 15-10 win.
Benjamin Kleibrink entered the semi finals carrying the hopes of Germany for the gold medal. Earlier in the day the gold medal favorite and 3 time world champion Peter Joppich was eliminated by Kleibrink's foe, Japan's Yuki Ota. Kleibrink exited as the gold medal winner after defeating Ota 15-9 in the 2008 Olympic Men's Foil event. 
