I just watched the first sem-final in the mens Foil. The different types of fencing refer to the target area, Foil is strictly torso touches. Lets get into it:
10:24 - First semi final just finished. First impression.... this sport is pretty sweet. Moves quick, looks awkward, and there are lots of blinking lights.
First problem I have: There is a beep that goes off on the stage when play is stopped for a touch or a reset. Same noise my coffee machine makes. Twice now I have heard beep only to find my coffee is not done yet. Not a good start fencing, especially before my coffee.
10:26 - Looks like they are trying to amp the crowd up. Asks them (and I SWEAR I did not make this up) if they know what the "Mexican Wave" is....This crowd seems oblivious. So was I til I realized its just the "Wave". You know, one side of the crowd stands up and cheers and it moves across the stadium.....took them a while but they got it going. Good for them. (again did not make that up)
10:27 - The stage they are on looks pretty futuristic. It's got theses sweet light set ups on either side to represent each combatant. Red on one side, green on the other. When this is over they can probably bring the crowd down for a sweet awesome dance party. Looks like they are just waiting for the next set of competitors.
10:32 - The fencers and the officials come out. Egypt vs Korea. Egyptian looks like he has the reach but the Korean looks pretty nimble. Probably going to put my money on the Egyptian as I like the reach advantage.
10:33 - HERE WE GO! HAHA don't mean to laugh but watching the Mexican judge address the athletes in French was kind of funny. Was the same for the last duel so I think that French is the official language of fencing. I know I shouldn't laugh but a Mexican addressing a Korean and Egyptian in French seems to be about as worldly as you can get. 4 continents represented in that exchange?
Korea seems to be mocking Egypt by just pointing his sword at him and not moving. Egypt didn't like that and gave it some good whacks. Looks kind of childish, that "I'm not touching you, I'm not touching you" kind of dick move.
After a reset they are still really tentative. WHOA some crazy footwork by Korea and the Egyptian takes a tumble of the platform. getting out of the way. Still no points scored. Oh yeah, points are scored by touching the other guys torso with their foil (that's what the sword is called).
10:38 - First point to Korea. Their helmets light up when they score a point. It's kind of like the opposite of laser-tag, you actually want to be lighting up like a Christmas tree.WHOA that was some epic sword dancing. Jumps, blocks, swings, misses, until finally Egypt catches Korea, tied up at 1.
10:41 - Looks like they play three 3 minute rounds. Round one just finished and Egypt is up 2-1. The last game I watched finished 10-6 after the first round so much slower than the last match. Round two is up.
10:45 - Egypt with a nice little dodge just barely getting out of the way before tagging the Korean on the side. Some quick footwork on the restart and he tags him again. 5-2 Egypt. Egy
10:48 - Apparently fencing has video replay. After Korea scored a point they went to video replay and confirmed. Egypt didn't like that but after a small conference they decided yes it counted. 5-4 Egypt. I think this officially makes baseball the only sport still in the caveman era of no replay.
10:49 - End of second frame? round? set? whatever you want to call it. Still disappointing compared to the first match I watched. Hopefully someone comes out in the third with some fire and excitement.
10:52 - Korea gets too aggressive and runs right into Egypts foil. Still moving at a slow pace though.
10:54 - It just got all soccer up in here! Korea given a red card. Didn't quite get it but it looked like he hit Egypt while on the ground and that didn't seem too cool. Korea has gotten much more aggressive and it has cost him again. He has fallen behind 8-5 now. Keeps up the aggression and gets tagged again. This is not a sport you want to get reckless in that's for sure, but man does he look much cooler than the Egyptian.
10:57 - Korea going back to some great footwork and has cut the lead to 10-8. Korea has got to keep using his footwork much like a boxer. BOOM works for him again. Don't get reckless get smart, and he seems to have figured it out. Egypts defensive counter attack works well but it's far less exciting.
10:58 - The official hesitantly holds out a red card. Thinks about it...hmmm maybe not, goes back to confer with the other officials and.....YES another red card for Korea. Looks like that means a point for Egypt. 12-9, Egypt only needs 3 points to win.
11:00 - This is actually getting really exciting. 13-12 Egypt now. Korea definitely the aggressor and it works for him at times but other times it costs him. Egypt seems comfortable just playing counter attack, Korea trying to put on a show however.
11:03 - Another red card for Korea. Think it might have to do with him laying down on the ground to avoid being hit. They resume and EGYPT WINS!! Korea looks unhappy with the officials but it will be Egypt and China in the final for the gold medal.
Not as exciting as the first match I watched but pretty cool none-the-less. It moves fast and when the athletes aren't just feeling each other out the sport has a good pace. Would love to actually watch the epee fencing where touching an opponent anywhere on their body scores a point, not just the torso like I just watched. I would say it's a sport worth checking out.
10:32 - The fencers and the officials come out. Egypt vs Korea. Egyptian looks like he has the reach but the Korean looks pretty nimble. Probably going to put my money on the Egyptian as I like the reach advantage.
10:33 - HERE WE GO! HAHA don't mean to laugh but watching the Mexican judge address the athletes in French was kind of funny. Was the same for the last duel so I think that French is the official language of fencing. I know I shouldn't laugh but a Mexican addressing a Korean and Egyptian in French seems to be about as worldly as you can get. 4 continents represented in that exchange?
Korea seems to be mocking Egypt by just pointing his sword at him and not moving. Egypt didn't like that and gave it some good whacks. Looks kind of childish, that "I'm not touching you, I'm not touching you" kind of dick move.
After a reset they are still really tentative. WHOA some crazy footwork by Korea and the Egyptian takes a tumble of the platform. getting out of the way. Still no points scored. Oh yeah, points are scored by touching the other guys torso with their foil (that's what the sword is called).
10:38 - First point to Korea. Their helmets light up when they score a point. It's kind of like the opposite of laser-tag, you actually want to be lighting up like a Christmas tree.WHOA that was some epic sword dancing. Jumps, blocks, swings, misses, until finally Egypt catches Korea, tied up at 1.
10:41 - Looks like they play three 3 minute rounds. Round one just finished and Egypt is up 2-1. The last game I watched finished 10-6 after the first round so much slower than the last match. Round two is up.
10:45 - Egypt with a nice little dodge just barely getting out of the way before tagging the Korean on the side. Some quick footwork on the restart and he tags him again. 5-2 Egypt. Egy
10:48 - Apparently fencing has video replay. After Korea scored a point they went to video replay and confirmed. Egypt didn't like that but after a small conference they decided yes it counted. 5-4 Egypt. I think this officially makes baseball the only sport still in the caveman era of no replay.
10:49 - End of second frame? round? set? whatever you want to call it. Still disappointing compared to the first match I watched. Hopefully someone comes out in the third with some fire and excitement.
10:52 - Korea gets too aggressive and runs right into Egypts foil. Still moving at a slow pace though.
10:54 - It just got all soccer up in here! Korea given a red card. Didn't quite get it but it looked like he hit Egypt while on the ground and that didn't seem too cool. Korea has gotten much more aggressive and it has cost him again. He has fallen behind 8-5 now. Keeps up the aggression and gets tagged again. This is not a sport you want to get reckless in that's for sure, but man does he look much cooler than the Egyptian.
10:57 - Korea going back to some great footwork and has cut the lead to 10-8. Korea has got to keep using his footwork much like a boxer. BOOM works for him again. Don't get reckless get smart, and he seems to have figured it out. Egypts defensive counter attack works well but it's far less exciting.
10:58 - The official hesitantly holds out a red card. Thinks about it...hmmm maybe not, goes back to confer with the other officials and.....YES another red card for Korea. Looks like that means a point for Egypt. 12-9, Egypt only needs 3 points to win.
11:00 - This is actually getting really exciting. 13-12 Egypt now. Korea definitely the aggressor and it works for him at times but other times it costs him. Egypt seems comfortable just playing counter attack, Korea trying to put on a show however.
11:03 - Another red card for Korea. Think it might have to do with him laying down on the ground to avoid being hit. They resume and EGYPT WINS!! Korea looks unhappy with the officials but it will be Egypt and China in the final for the gold medal.
Not as exciting as the first match I watched but pretty cool none-the-less. It moves fast and when the athletes aren't just feeling each other out the sport has a good pace. Would love to actually watch the epee fencing where touching an opponent anywhere on their body scores a point, not just the torso like I just watched. I would say it's a sport worth checking out.
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