Tag Archives: piste

London 2012 Olympic fencing: Protester Shin A-lam wins fencing medal

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From despair to joy for A-lam as protester wins fencing medal

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UPDATED:

15:59 GMT, 4 August 2012

Sit-down fencer Shin A-lam will be going home with a real Olympic medal after all.

The 25-year-old South Korean picked herself up in every sense at the ExCeL after controversially being denied a place in the final of the individual epee on Monday night.

Tearful Shin had remained sat on the piste then for over an hour while protests and appeals were made on her behalf – all to no avail – when the clock was reset from zero to one second and she lost.

Sitting protest: South Korea's Shin A Lam reacts after being defeated by Germany's Britta Heidemann

Sitting protest: South Korea's Shin A Lam reacts after being defeated by Germany's Britta Heidemann

The world No 9 then lost a bronze medal match, but, back for the team event, the 10th-ranked Koreans thrashed top seeds Romania 45-38 to reach the semi-finals and then beat fifth-ranked United States 45-36.

Joy: South Korea's Eunsook Choi, A Lam Shin and Injeong Choi react as they watch their women's epee team semifinals

Joy: South Korea's Eunsook Choi, A Lam Shin and Injeong Choi react as they watch their women's epee team semifinals

And Shin, offered a 'special' award by fencing's governing body because of what happened to her, won all her six three-minute contests in the two matches.

South Korea were left to face China for the gold after they won a semi-final thriller against Russia 20-19 in sudden death.

London 2012 Olympics: South Korean fencer protests

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Korean fencer stages sit-down protest after controversial decision in semi-final

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UPDATED:

19:39 GMT, 30 July 2012

Olympics 2012

South Korean fencer Shin Lam was in floods of tears at the ExCeL arena after the biggest controversy of the Olympics so far.

The 25-year-old thought she was through to the final of the women’s epee when, to her horror and that of her coach Shim Jaesung, the clock was reset from zero to one second.

And when the action resumed German Britta Heidemann, gold medallist four years ago, scored a do-or-die hit that appeared to have given her a place in the final against Ukraine’s Yana Shemyakana.

Controversy: Shin Lam of South Korea reacts after losing to Britta Heidemann of Germany

Controversy: Shin Lam of South Korea reacts after losing to Britta Heidemann of Germany

The Korean coach furiously launched an appeal against the decision that had allowed the fight to continue and it was nearly half an hour before it was announced to the crowd – slow-handicapping by this stage – that Heidemann’s win stood.

Shin broke down in tears for the second time and while her opponent celebrated she remained on the piste.

Lam Shin of South Korea reacts after losing to Britta Heidemann

Britta Heidemann of Germany celebrates her victory

Contrasting fortunes: Lam was in floods of tears as Britta Heidemann (right) celebrates her win

The crowd was then told she was doing that because a formal appeal was being considered and if she left the field of play it would be deemed an acceptance of defeat.

/07/30/article-0-144C0880000005DC-523_634x384.jpg” width=”634″ height=”384″ alt=”Dream over: Officials lead the fencer away after her appeal” class=”blkBorder” />

Dream over: Officials lead the fencer away after her appeal

Shin only needed to draw the contest in sudden death because she had been given priority – that is, the onus was on Heidemann to score in the extra minute of sudden death.

The crowd could hardly believe their ears just before 7.40pm – nearly an hour after the incident – when they were told part of the rules was that the Koreans had to lodge money for the appeal to be valid.

Alone: Lam refused to leave after the controversial decision was announced

Alone: Lam refused to leave after the controversial decision was announced

Still Shin remained on the piste,
bringing back memories of fellow Korean /07/30/article-2181215-144C0DA3000005DC-864_634x417.jpg” width=”634″ height=”417″ alt=”All out for the win: Heidemann (right) scores the final point to secure a controversial victory” class=”blkBorder” />

All out for the win: Heidemann (right) scores the final point to secure a controversial victory

Another official came on to assist as she dissolved into tears again. Now there were whistles and boos from the crowd as she was led off, although the decision had still not been announced.

As she was hugged by her coach the announcer asked for respect to be shown to the athletes and judges – and also a big round of applause for the world number 12 as she finally left.

The coach left as well, still clearly furious about an outcome that the fans had yet to be told about.

The final should have been staged by then, but the crowd was not able to see what happened next. The spectators had no idea what was going on back stage.

The final decision was that Shin had lost the semi-final and would be in the bronze medal match.

Amazingly it began a few minutes later, the Korean coach saying: 'We will try to clam her down, even though she is to be extremely stressed'.

Shin somehow summoned up the concentration to take an early 4-2 lead over world No 1 Sun Yujie – every hit being roared by her new-found fans.

London 2012 Olympics: James Honeybone out of fencing

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Honeybone humbled as Pryiemka sees off Brit hopeful in quick time

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UPDATED:

13:34 GMT, 29 July 2012

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Truro fencer James Honeybone's Olympics was over in a flash at the ExCeL Arena.

The 21-year-old, one of eight members of the 10-strong squad given a host nation spot, was beaten 15-9 in the first round by Valery Pryiemka, from Belarus.

At 93rd in the world Honeybone was ranked 52 places below his opponent, but he was really up for it.

Even before he had been introduced he was on the piste wielding his blade to get the crowd more into it.

Early exit: James Honeybone lets his defeat to Valery Pryiemka sink in

Early exit: James Honeybone lets his defeat to Valery Pryiemka sink in

But after losing he said: 'I made more mistakes and he punished them – I didn't perform and let everybody down a bit. I let myself down. Not good enough.'

Britain's three women foilists had failed to reach the last 16 when competition began on Saturday with an Italian clean sweep of the medals.

The men's sabre favourites were German Nicolas Limbach and Russian Alexey Yakimenko.

'It's obviously special being here. I like to get fired up and it's just a shame,' added Honeybone. 'I'm good enough to be winning these fights. Very disappointing. I've not fenced him to 15 before, but we've met in a team event and I beat him.

'It's a massive experience to take away, but it would have been a little bit better to have more competitive experience.'

Over in a flash: Valery Pryiemka wasted little time in beating James Honeybone (right)

Over in a flash: Valery Pryiemka wasted little time in beating James Honeybone (right)

In actual fighting time – sabre is the weapon that calls for all-out attack far more than foil and epee – it was all over in just 41 seconds.

Honeybone was level at 2-2, but Pryiemka, eight years older, then raced 8-3 in front and even had his opponent down on the floor at one point.

After a minute's rest Honeybone closed the gap to 13-9, but could not score again.

It was an almost packed venue and he added: 'I love a big crowd and thrive off the atmosphere, but my fencing was not quite up to it today.'

Asked what was next for him, Honeybone said: 'Rio 2016, the Olympics in 2020 and 2024. It's been a great journey, but hopefully there's a lot further to go.

'I started when I was nine at Truro when they had about nine members and my coach (Jon Salfield) who was here with me today gave me my first lesson ever.

Hair raising: Aldo Montano shows off the message on the back of his head

Hair raising: Aldo Montano shows off the message on the back of his head

'At the time no-one knew who he was and now he's national coach and Truro's arguably the strongest sabre club in the country.

'I'm only 21 and apart from one other guy I think I'm the youngest in the men's sabre. There's a guy who's 40 years old (Italian Luigi Tarantino turns 40 in November) and the average medal age is around 27 to 30. This is the beginning.'

Pryiemka was knocked out himself 15-9 in the last 32 by 2004 champion Aldo Montano, the Italian who has had 'God Save The Queen' shaved on the back of his head.

Montano, a 33-year-old who models underwear and advertises body wash, is the son and grandson of Olympic medallists and was named by a magazine as one of the top 20 sexiest athletes competing in London.