Continuing results from the 2003 Pan American Games. (Press Release provided by the USFA)
Gold and Bronze in Sabre
Ivan Lee (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Jason Rogers (Los Angeles, Calif.) won gold and bronze respectively in the men´s individual sabre competition of the Pan American Games. Tonight’s victories brought the total number of medals to eight for the U.S. fencing team, including three gold, two silver, and three bronze.
In the gold medal match, Lee solidly beat Venezuela’s Carlos Bravo 15-7 to take the third Pan American Games gold medal for the U.S. fencing team. The two Americans did not lose a single match all day until Rogers lost to Lee 15-11 to advance to the gold medal match.
“We were hoping to be seeded first and second in the competition, to assure we would not meet until the finals if we each won our matches, but instead we were seeded second and third, so we met in the semi-finals,” Rogers said after the competition. He added, “I’m really pleased with the way I fenced. This was a great stepping stone for me and will be a huge help going into World Championships in October.”
Strong showings in women’s epee
In women’s epee competition, Stephanie Eim (New York, N.Y.) and Elisabeth Spillman (Los Angeles, Calif.) finished seventh and eight respectively.
Spilman upset Cuban star, Zuleydis Ortiz of Cuba 15-7 to advance to the quarterfinal match. Both Americans lost their matches in the quarterfinals, eliminating the chance to advance to the semi-final match. Eim, a returning U.S. Pan American team member, lost to Cuba’s Eimey Gomez, 14-10 and Spilman was defeated 15-7 by bronze medalist Endrina Alvarez of Venezuela.
Both women reflected on good parts of the competition that they will take with them into the 2003 World Championships in October, an important Olympic qualification event.
“I felt good about my bout to get into the top eight. She was a
tough draw for me, and I had to trust my ability to attack and be strong in that game. It will give me great confidence going into World Championships,” Eim remarked after the competition. She then drew the eventual Pan American Games champion and Cuban standout Gomez.” She is an internationally strong competitor and true veteran. I was down at the beginning and glad I got the score back within two touches but time was running out.”
Spilman gained great confidence in her upset victory over Cuba’s Ortiz. “I wish I could fence every bout like this. I think I got the timing and I really felt the bout. I was trying to keep the score even at the beginning but I was really feeling the timing on my attacks, so I just went for it.”
Reflecting on her quarterfinal bout against Alverez, Spilman said “At the beginning, I wasn´t warmed up so I rushed and got down 4-1. I brought it back within a touch and then got frustrated with a few calls from the referee. After the break, I cooled off and tried to bring it back but at that point it was too late.” Gomez beat Canada’s Sherraine McKay 15-5 in the women’s epee gold medal match.
The U.S. is back in action tomorrow at 9AM, when Dan Kellner (New York, N.Y.), Jon Tiomkin (Brooklyn, N.Y.), and Jed Dupree (New York, N.Y.) will battle the field in the men’s team foil competition. Kellner and Tiomkin were the Pan American men’s foil individual gold and silver champions.
