Sports Illustrated picks for the medals

[oiuyt]

Just got the current SI in the mail today. Among other things they pick the medal winners for every Olympic sport. Here're their choices for fencing (G, S, B in each category):

ME:
Alfredo Rota, Italy
Marcel Fischer, Switzerland
Fabrice Jeannet, France
MET:
Russia
France
Germany
MF:
Salvatore Sanzo, Italy
Andrea Cassara, Italy
Wu Hanxiong, China
MFT:
Italy
Germany
China
MS:
Stanislav Pozdniakov, Russia
Mihai Covaliu, Romania
Aldo Montano, Italy
MST:
Russia
Hungary
Ukraine
WE:
Laura Flessel-Colovic, France
Adrienne Hormay, Hungary
Li Na, China
WET:
France
Germany
China
WF:
Valentina Vezzali, Italy
Sylwia Gruchala, Poland
Giovanna Trillini, Italy
WS:
Sada Jacobson, USA
Elena Nechaeva, Russia
Anne-Lise Touya, France

-B :)

[edew]

Hmmm...they used to just pick the top three from the previous year's World Championships. No imagination at all. Still, Rota for ME? I also think Flessel-Colovic ain't gonna do it. I'm putting my money of Li Na or a Hungarian. Nisima probably won't win it either.

[zeissg]

The good news in the 8/2 edition are the many references to fencing, including Faces in the Crowd, where Rebecca Ward of Portland (U19, U16 and Y14 WS), a nice photo of the Keeth and Erin Smart, Ivan Lee and Tim Morehouse, a little snippet about Seth Kelsey, a photo of the married couple that both are on the modern pentathalon team in their fencing attire (Vaho and Mary Beth Iagorashvili), a nice photo of a French women's epeeist (Laura Flessel-Colovic) and a photo of a fencing match (actually, it looks like stretches) from the 1896 games.

Worth picking up.

[Phoenix]

do they really think our mens sabre team is that bad, or are we? This is the first time that I am going to see fencing in the Olympics (wasn't into it then) , so can u clear me up?

[Sabresque]

Despite Montano's bad finish in NYC, I have it from good sources that he has something up his sleeve for this olympics. Watch out.

Covaliu doesn't seem to be as into the game as he used to, so I'm not putting a lot of confidence in him for a big finish. Shame, he's my favorite fencer.

I'm curious to see how Podz does, I think he'll finish well. He looked really strong in NY.

Other people I'm watching for: Lukachenko, Ferjancsik, Some random korean guy

[silver2e]

do they really think our mens sabre team is that bad, or are we? ...

MST has good chance of defeating Hungary in the first round, so that will surely mess up SI's prediction of a silver medal for Hungary!
[fingers crossed]

[Phoenix]

does anyone think we have a chance against the Russian MST?

[whtouche]

Yes and absolutely.
We beat them in NYC. Argueably because they didnt use the poz till the last bout, and he made up something like 9 touches, but that's Ok we still beat them and I think we can do it if they use him the whole way through.
At the U.S. world cup back when it was still in peabody, massachusetts, I went to watch the MST. I watched USA vs hungary, the USA team was Herby Raynaud, aki, keeth smart and Ivan Lee. Keeth the day before had come in third in the individual. round after round the US team would hand keeth a sizeable deficit and he would always bring it back and make it really close. At the start of the last encounter it was something like 40 to 30 lowsomething. The final score was 45-43 for the hungarians(on a blown call but that's another issue). If, way back then, the U.S. team can come that close to beating one of the worlds strongest teams largely on the strength of one fencer and the rest to keep the score from running away, then this year at the olympics I have full faith that a full team of internationally very competitive fencers can run over any team in front of them. Including russia.

[sabreman]

Russia is a lock for the Gold in MTS. They are in top shape and fencing great. The US could sneak in for a medal though.

[kalivor]

do they really think our mens sabre team is that bad, or are we? This is the first time that I am going to see fencing in the Olympics (wasn't into it then) , so can u clear me up?

The US men's sabre team isn't bad ... but they are ranked 7th, with their top individual ranked 19th. I'd raise an eyebrow at anybody who bets even money that the US men's sabre team comes home with a medal (and then take said bet), and raise the other at anybody who said it couldn't happen.

It's unlikely, but they've shown that they're capable of beating anybody. They just don't do it often enough to be one of the favourites.

[sabreman]

I think they are ranked 6th and moved passed China after the NYC WC. They are highly capable of getting to the medal round.

[DHCJr]

The good news in the 8/2 edition are the many references to fencing, including Faces in the Crowd, where Rebecca Ward of Portland (U19, U16 and Y14 WS), a nice photo of the Keeth and Erin Smart, Ivan Lee and Tim Morehouse, a little snippet about Seth Kelsey, a photo of the married couple that both are on the modern pentathalon team in their fencing attire (Vaho and Mary Beth Iagorashvili), a nice photo of a French women's epeeist (Laura Flessel-Colovic) and a photo of a fencing match (actually, it looks like stretches) from the 1896 games.

Worth picking up.

The picture was interesting and considering there was an audience I would say it wasn't stretching, but NO masks. Also as an aside. July 2004 Inc. magazine has a short article on another Peter from the 1996 US Sabre Team, Peter Cox, who came in 28th of 50.

[edew]

The good news in the 8/2 edition are the many references to fencing, including Faces in the Crowd, where Rebecca Ward of Portland (U19, U16 and Y14 WS), a nice photo of the Keeth and Erin Smart, Ivan Lee and Tim Morehouse, a little snippet about Seth Kelsey, a photo of the married couple that both are on the modern pentathalon team in their fencing attire (Vaho and Mary Beth Iagorashvili), a nice photo of a French women's epeeist (Laura Flessel-Colovic) and a photo of a fencing match (actually, it looks like stretches) from the 1896 games.

Worth picking up.

The stretches are called the Grand Salute. It's some ritualistic blade-waving that they do prior to competing (or after competing).

[Army Fencer]

I think they are ranked 6th and moved passed China after the NYC WC. They are highly capable of getting to the medal round.

Of all our teams, I think Men's Sabre has the best shot of making a medal. I'd bet they'd be the highest ranked American team when it's all said and done.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

It was nice to see the five references to fencing in SI, plus the historic fencing photo. There's even an (shudder) epee sequence in the new "unprepared athlete" Visa Olympic commercial. Mainstream in four more years!!!