Ahren called me yesterday to say that he has viewed and re-viewed the video of the gold medal bout, and he came to two conclusions:
1. He should have gotten himself black-carded when the referee annulled my touch due to the audience distraction. After the break, and during that touch, I was clearly focused again and moving correctly, even though beforehand I was sleepwalking. After the referee annulled my touch, I was done. I've won bouts in which I started that far behind.
2. He should have given me a sharpening lesson (quick handwork and a little movement, nothing complicated) while I was waiting for the gold medal bout. I agreed, because I think that long wait between the semi and finals did me in. In previous Vet Worlds, they had the semis and then the finals as part of the evening ceremonies, and frankly I would prefer to fence the semi-final after a long break than the final. Ahren said that I seemed focused and intense, so he hesitated to give me a lesson, but on reflection he thought he should have done it anyway.
Anecdote: In the Moscow airport, I was sitting with a veteran foilist and his wife. We were discussing the finals. "I felt so bad for poor Delia," said the wife. "That was me," I said, baffled. She got up and left the waiting room for a while and I realized she must have been quite embarrassed.
09-30-2009 04:12 PM