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Imboden Places Ninth, Massialas Finishes 13th in Men’s Foil at London Olympic Games

07/31/2012, 4:41am CDT
By No Author

(London) – Competing at their first Olympic Games, U.S. men’s foil fencers Race Imboden (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Alexander Massialas (San Francisco, Calif.) advanced to the table of 16 on Tuesday.

Both athletes, as well as teammate Miles Chamley-Watson (Philadelphia, Pa. / New York City, N.Y.) earned byes into the table of 32.

Imboden scored 12 touches during the first three minutes of his opening bout against Guilherme Toldo and held the Brazilian to five before the break. Imboden rattled off three quick points in the second period to earn his first Olympic win, 15-5.

In the next round, Imboden met seven-time World medalist Andrea Baldini (ITA).

Imboden challenged Baldini early in the bout as the Italian led by only a touch, 5-4. Baldini went on a four-touch run to take a 9-4 lead.

Baldini built the score to 12-5, but Imboden answered with three touches to take the score to 12-8.

“I had some moments where I got back into my own rhythm and my own game at that point. That’s the real me – what I know how to fence,” Imboden said.

Baldini scored three of the next four touches to take the win, 15-9.

“He’s an excellent fencer, one of the best in the world and one of my idols that I watched growing up. He did what he always does and he drew me in and I didn’t play my game. He had really good distance and I just wasn’t able to get it done,” Imboden said.  

Massialas dominated his table of 32 bout against Etienne Lalonde Turbide (CAN) and earned a 15-6 win, to advance to the table of 16.

In the next round, Massialas fell to Alexey Cheremisinov (RUS), 15-6.

“I watched video of him before this and I knew his game plan. I just wasn’t able to put it together.

I knew what he was going to do and he did exactly what I thought he was going to do. But I couldn’t adapt and that was the difference. He fenced better today and he deserved it,” Massialas said. “I’ve never fenced him before, but I’d seen him around and knew what he does. Going out there and trying to execute my actions, unfortunately, today just wasn’t working. I had a few good ones, but a few isn’t enough to win a 15-touch bout. I just wasn’t able to live up to my own expectations today. I came out here to do my job and try to get a medal and, unfortunately, getting knocked out in the 16 is tough.”

Egyptian Alaaeldin Abouelkassem took an early lead against Chamley-Watson from which the American was unable to recover.

The two fencers felt each other out during the opening period where Abouelkassem scored four touches to Chamley-Watson’s two.

By the end of the second period, Abouelkassem led the bout, 12-8.

“I started off ok and then I missed a couple crucial touches and he capitalized on those. I just didn’t capitalize on some of the opportunities I had,” Chamley-Watson said.

Abouelkassem earned the win early in the third period by a score of 15-10.

The U.S. Men’s Foil Team will compete in the team event on Sunday in which the Americans will face France in the quarter-finals and could meet up with Italy in the semis.

Massialas said he thinks the Americans’ Olympic experiences in the individual event will him in the team competition on Sunday.

“I know exactly what to expect now going into the team event. It’s a tough loss, but hopefully we’ll get back in it for the team event and win one for Team USA,” Massialas said.

The individual events will conclude on Wednesday when men’s epee and women’s saber are held. Two-time Olympic Champion Mariel Zagunis (Beaverton, Ore.) will go for a historical third straight gold medal during the afternoon session.

The competition schedule is as follows:

9:30 a.m.
Men’s Individual Epee Table of 32
Seth Kelsey (Portland, Ore. / Colorado Springs, Colo.) vs. Guojie Li (CHN)

10 a.m.
Men’s Individual Epee Table of 32
Soren Thompson (San Diego, Calif. / New York City, N.Y.)

11:30 a.m.
Men’s Individual Epee Table of 16

12:30 p.m.
Men’s Individual Epee Quarter-finals

1:10 p.m.
Women’s Individual Saber Table of 32
Mariel Zagunis (Beaverton, Ore.) vs. Diah Permatasari (INA)

1:30 p.m.
Women’s Individual Saber Table of 32
Dagmara Wozniak (Avenel, N.J.) vs. Salma Mahran (EGY)

2:45 p.m.
Women’s Individual Saber Table of 16

3:40 p.m.
Women’s Individual Saber Quarter-finals

5:30 p.m.
Men’s Individual Epee Semifinals

6:30 p.m.
Women’s Individual Saber Semifinals

7:10 p.m.
Men’s Individual Epee Finals

7:40 p.m.
Women’s Individual Saber Finals



Tag(s): News  Race Imboden  Alexander Massialas  Miles Chamley-Watson