One of my favorite Olympic Sports, American women sweep saber fencing. If you have ever fenced with a saber, even the much lighter sabers made for the sport, it's not quite like the fencing done with foils, a much thinner and lighter blade.
Sabers are slightly heavier and require more strength and power in the upper body, arms and wrists. It probably more closely resembles "sword fighting" as we think of it than other fencing style and sword.
The US hasn't taken a medal in fencing for over a hundred years. And, it was a woman that did it.
Zagunis was also saber champion in 2004, when she became the first American in a century to win a fencing gold. Now, the U.S. is a legitimate powerhouse— in women’s saber at least. These same three women are seeded No. 1 for the team competition on Thursday.
President Bush was in the front row to watch all three podiums filled by American women as the American flag rose three times over to the sound of the Star Spangled Banner.
You go, girls!
"American women with edged weapons rule!"
Congratulations to the American Women's Saber Olympians, and best of luck in the saber team event.
If you want something that hasn't been modified to the point where it is mostly unsuited to using in a real life situation take up kendo. The strikes, thrusts, parries, and footwork all work well in real life. and, hey, a broomhandle works in a pinch. ;)
But, yeah, It's always good to see this. You don't know how many Euro-weenies I had to put up with making fun of US fencing back in the day. Now maybe the men can get their acts together and go kick some bootie too in '12?
Sabre fencing? Bah and patooie. Make 'em use soup-ladle cutlasses and you'll see a lot of folks with forearms that look like Popeye. :)
Personally, I want to see bayonet fencing with the participants using a rifle musket with a socket bayonet attached, The army used to actually do this, with a special bayonet bade from an actual socket bayonet with the blade replaced by section of whale bone and a leather-covered ball on the tip. It was both an excellent physical exercise and a means of gaining confidence in the soldier's ability to defend hinself up close and personal like.
The Olympic games were originally meant to showcase the physical prowess of warriors, and that is what all of the competitions featured: skills that warriors would need. Running, throwing, javelin, archery, wrestling, etc. We need to emphasise those more. As much as I truly enjoy watching women's beach volleyball, those sorts of games need to be eliminated and the Olympics returned to a more pure series of events and competitions. IMHO, that is.
But, Yeah, anytime the women, or any American team can stuff it to the Euroweenies, that's a real plus in my book. Touche mon femmes, touche!
Not that I'm *paying attention* -- being a native Oregonian and all......
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