2008 Olympic Team

[Craig]

...Mariel just happened to be the highest ranking of those not picked. I don't see it happening a second time...

France sent 3 women also and the US would be able to as well.

Here is the methodology for individual qualification for the Games when there is no team event:

Since the women's saber event is only an individual and not team competition, 24 fencers are chosen to compete in the tournament. The top 8 in the World rankings get their tickets punched (but only 2 can go from the same country from this set.) After the first 8 are chosen, the next 8 in are picked by region based on adjusted world rankings. (There are 3 slots for Europe, 2 for Asia, 2 for the Americas, and 1 for Africa.) The last 8 qualify based on continental competitions where countries that haven't qualified any fencers on the first 2 rounds. In the last round, the allocation of slots remains at 3 Europe, 2 Asia and Americas, and 1 for Africa.

In no case can a country have more than 3 individuals compete in the individual event, and no country that has qualified an individual by top-8 ranking or region-adjusted rankings can send a fencer to the continental qualifying competition. This means that the only way a country can send 3 fencers is to either have all 3 in the top-8 or 2 in the top-8 and the third through the adjusted world ranking.

With the current rankings, Zagunis and Sada Jacobson would be in as the #3 and #8 in world rankings with Ward (at #9) in with the American zone slot. This is how France sent 3 to the 2004 Olympics.

Craig


Here is the article for reference: Road to Athens: Women's Sabre

[OROD]

Is that Carter as in Al(phonze) Carter? I think he'll be 40+ by then.

I think Al is 35.


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[Army Fencer]

One problem is that the FIE hasn't published the official path to Beijing. We won't know who or how anyone will get there until then. Everything is speculation, even at the highest tier (WS).

[Mo]

Was messing around and found this from three years ago. Bump!!
How things change ya??
The Momster

[Craig]

It's interesting to look at the "picks" from 2005 and match it up.