The US Women's Saber Team of Sada Jacobson, Mariel Zagunis, Becca Ward and Caity Thompson survived an early scare from a determined Great Britain team to steam roll into the gold medal bout tonight against Russia. This assures the US of its only medal of the 2005 Senior World Championships.
Great Britain jumped out to an early lead, and continued to challenge behind some inspired fencing by Joanna Hutchison. The US women finally rallied to a 45-38 win.
In the round of 8, the Americans came up against France and its 2005 World Saber Champion Anna-Louise Touya. Once again, the Americans started behind early before galloping to an impressive win.
For the semi-final bout, the USA faced Hungary, who had just upset the highly ranked-Italian team loaded with two WS fencers from the individual semi-finals. The Americans hammered the stunned Hungarians, winning 45-27.
To close out the match, Mariel Zagunis calmly ripped off five straight one-light parry-ripostes against the Hungarian closer Nagy.
Next up: Russia...winner of the other semi-final bout against Poland.
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"Fraud is the creation of trust. And then: its betrayal."
William Black, Ph.D.
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"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. And from this side only! The flight of a half-man, half-bird. Dinosaurs nuzzling their young in pastures where strip malls should be. Cookies on dowels. All those moment, lost in time. Gone, like eggs off a hooker's stomach. Time to die" -Phil Ken Sebben
Ward lost her final bout against Vilikaia, 9-5, but the US women had built up more than enough of a lead, and Zagunis was ice-cold in the final bout.
Congratulations to the team!
One note: In both this and the men's team event, I thought referees were calling some actions as simultaneous where one or the other fencer actually had an advantage--with the new timings, if two lights go on, the ref doesn't have to make the call unless there is a really clear advantage.
Just as a side note--I thought the refereeing in the Men's Team event favored Italy slightly.
MR
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Why sabre? Because you don't take heads with the point.
Isn't this something like Mariel's buhmillionth world championship at some level????
Lessee...cadet ind, Jr ind, jr team, and sr team in the same calendar year...Olympics (which also counts as the Sr worlds when held), now another Sr team....yikes!
About the only thing she hasn't won is a world #1 ranking and the word cup points....Sada's got that...
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