Accident in semi-finale saber team olympics (nice story)

Athens 2004, tention is at his maximal in this semi-finale men saber event.
It is Keith Smart of U.S. against Damien Touya of France, the accident
happenned in the final assault for the final, 44-44 and Damien right hand
was pierced from his fingers to the back of his hand. Boris Sansom was
streching to replaced his wounded partner, while medics were giving first
aids to Touya. However what a courageous decision when Touya decided to put
back his glove for the final assault. Tonya menaged to win the final
assault, thus, qualifying his team for the finals against Italy. And even
better when France got gold defeating Italy. One win to be remembered for
sure.

"Trim Plus Expert" <trimplus@bellnet.ca> wrote in message


> It is Keith Smart of U.S. against Damien Touya of France, the accident
> happenned in the final assault for the final, 44-44 and Damien right hand
> was pierced from his fingers to the back of his hand.

The news stories I read say it went into the webbing between two of
his fingers and came out the palm. I suspect this to be a not-atypical
instance of the media getting it wrong, as unless Keeth's blade broke
it's very unlikely that its tip could pierce flesh, much less do a
through-and-through.

Last week I had a similar experience: my opponent did an epee-type
stop thrust at my hand. It hit hard in the ball of my thumb. Didn't
even pierce the glove, but it tore---not pierced---through the skin.
Bled quite freely. With Touya there was quite a lot more blood ( in
one photo there was a pool of it about the size of a saucer on the
strip---but I really doubt an intact sabre blade went clean through
his hand.

William Marshal wrote:
>
[snip]
> The news stories I read say it went into the webbing between two of
> his fingers and came out the palm.

I saw it on tape. I know it went into the webbing and that there was
blood - a decent amount. It was a painful injury even to watch. :/

> I suspect this to be a not-atypical
> instance of the media getting it wrong, as unless Keeth's blade broke

It did. I wish they'd used the same slow-motion to capture that
break that they used during the women's coverage - it almost looked
like the blade broke into four pieces.

>The news stories I read say it went into the webbing between two of his
fingers and came out the palm. I suspect this to be a not-atypical instance of
the media getting it wrong, as unless Keeth's blade broke it's very unlikely
that its tip could pierce flesh, much less do a through-and-through.<<

Actually, it does happen. I had a similar injury in 1990, when my
brother-in-law rammed a brand-new sports saber into my hand... which hit below
pinkie and ring finger, went trough glove and skin and slithered half-way down
the back of my hand.

Chris

In article <20040825125211.18151.00002188@mb-m03.aol.com>, zoergiebel@aol.com
(J. Christoph Amberger) writes:

>Actually, it does happen. I had a similar injury in 1990, when my
>brother-in-law rammed a brand-new sports saber into my hand...

Which is why it is good practice for all three weapons to put a small bend in
the blade so that it can bend more predictably.

Have you ever been hit in the middle of the chest by an absolutely straight
Epee held by a six foot eight inch tall 250 pound fencer? It still smarts.

Bill Hall

In article <20040827154704.27108.00000417@mb-m01.aol.com>,
fencerbill@aol.com (Fencerbill) wrote:

> In article <20040825125211.18151.00002188@mb-m03.aol.com>, zoergiebel@aol.com
> (J. Christoph Amberger) writes:
>
> >Actually, it does happen. I had a similar injury in 1990, when my
> >brother-in-law rammed a brand-new sports saber into my hand...
>
> Which is why it is good practice for all three weapons to put a small bend in
> the blade so that it can bend more predictably.
>
> Have you ever been hit in the middle of the chest by an absolutely straight
> Epee held by a six foot eight inch tall 250 pound fencer? It still smarts.
>


If he's that short and has that many feet, I think it would be easy to
get him to trip himself up with distance. But 250 pounds? He must be
really wide or dense if he's only 8 inches tall. How did he hit you in
the chest? You must suck.

:-)

--Harold Buck


"I used to rock and roll all night,
and party every day.
Then it was every other day. . . ."
-Homer J. Simpson

In rec.sport.fencing on Fri, 27 Aug 2004 14:53:13 -0500
Harold Buck <no_one_knows@comcast.net> wrote:
> In article <20040827154704.27108.00000417@mb-m01.aol.com>,
> fencerbill@aol.com (Fencerbill) wrote:
>>
>> Have you ever been hit in the middle of the chest by an absolutely straight
>> Epee held by a six foot eight inch tall 250 pound fencer? It still smarts.
>
> If he's that short and has that many feet, I think it would be easy to
> get him to trip himself up with distance. But 250 pounds? He must be
> really wide or dense if he's only 8 inches tall. How did he hit you in
> the chest? You must suck.

IT was the stilts.

Zebee

LOL. But hey, six legs didn't hamper Sleipnir any...

In article <no_one_knows-58A842.14531327082004@comcast.dca.giganews.com>,
Harold Buck <no_one_knows@comcast.net> writes:

>How did he hit you in
>the chest? You must suck.

My only excuse is that I have been giving preference to Sabre lately.

Bill Hall

fencerbill@aol.com (Fencerbill) wrote

I have been giving preference to Sabre lately.
>
> Bill Hall

Who could fault you for such an eminently sensible decision?