Fencing – (FULL EVENT) FIE Foil Grand Prix from Washington, DC | NBC Sports

The world’s top-ranked foil fencers compete in Washington, D.C. at the 2024 Absolute Fencing Gear FIE Foil Grand Prix. Watch the semifinals and medal matches live, starting at 6:00pm ET Sunday March 17.
Fencers from 50 countries are scheduled to compete, including Tokyo Olympic champion Lee Kiefer and U.S. Olympic medalists Alex Massialas, Jacqueline Dubrovich, Nick Itkin and Gerek Meinhardt.

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Fencing – FIE Foil Grand Prix from Washington, DC (Live Event) | NBC Sports
youtube.com/nbcsports

[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
hello from Washington DC the nation’s
capital and the host for tonight’s F
fencing Grand
Prix welcome inside the Walter re
Washington Convention Center where we
are ready for an exciting evening of
fencing my name is Jeff buan and I will
be taking you through all of the action
on the women’s side all eyes are on Lee
kefir Lee is the defending Olympic
champion and the number one ranked
foilist but she had to overcome a
daunting 112 deficit in the round of
eight against Ava lerea France to pull
out a cating and Hometown pleasing 1512
Victory to get here with all due respect
to the late great Muhammad Ali in the
sport of fencing it is Lee kefir who
floats like a butterfly and stings like
a bee and on the men’s side the fencer
to watch is the number five ranked
American Nick kkin Nick is in top form
and he goes about trying to win his bout
as quickly as possible let’s now send it
over to the second member of our team
Harry chma who is with our special
guest here at the FI foil Grand Prix
alongside Phil Andrews the CEO of USA
fencing what an amazing event Phil
you’ve put it together with your team
talk about your excitement for the
festivities it’s going to be a great
final we got Lawrence rugs in the final
and of course the world number one
League kefir and nickit Ken so America’s
doing well right here in our cap capit
cost more than that you know this is a
huge event for fencing and puts USA
fencing on the map how important is this
to spread the sport I think it’s great
hosting an event here in the US
especially with live coverage like we’re
doing today where we can see the best in
the world right here in the USA inspired
the next generation of fences to make to
to La 28 and brisban 32 you know top
professionals here Olympic medalists
also Juniors playing downstairs so talk
about the overall fening Community being
represented at this Grand Prix this is
one of the fastest GR Sports in the
United States right now in the Olympic
Games and the Grand Prix is really
important to show those fencers
downstairs where they’re going where
they can get to they can be the next
Nick in the next Le for next Lawrence
rugs and make it to this level right
here in their own capital and USA
fencing’s in good hands a lot of top
Stars here we are doing really well in
foil we expect a great Paris 2024 even
better La 2028 well USA fencing alive
and well you heard it from Phil Andrews
I’m Harry chma Jeff back to
you
making their way on to the raay podium
pie and here they come and they’ll soon
be
introduced the women’s pool started with
17 def fencers and we’re down to the
Final
[Applause]
[Music]
Four
they were the fencers with their game
faces
[Music]
[Music]
onion unit states
of there’s kefir on the right defending
Olympic
champion
her opponent in
2023
champ the fifth ranked an sour of
Germany she qualified for Paris through
the European zonal spot
[Music]
States 2023 Junior World silver medalist
law there’s the Lefty Lawrence scrs from
the United
States and her opponent from Italy two
worldion and there’s a smile from the
two- time world champion Ariana
origo okay little golf clap for the
referees ladies and gentlemen get ready
for
electric
theat
Grand Washington
DC the Cherry glosses are
tuned all right you got to give it to
the public address announcer he cracked
up the fencers and took the game face
off and we’re ready to start and it’s
going to be the number one ranked Le
keer defending World excuse me defending
Olympic champion against an sour fifth
ranked and I watched kefir all day and
in her first bout today in 64 uh that
she was ranked in the top 16 and the
fencers in the top 16 do not have to
fence in yesterday two days ago’s
qualifying round so they don’t come in
having fence but they’re used to it but
she came in looked a little bit cold she
just didn’t look at the top of her game
A little sluggish but I will say she’s
improved along the way and and as we
discussed at the at the open she was
down
112 and about to get here and you almost
never see a comeback from that at 112
you’re already thinking about what
you’re going to have for dinner but she
wasn’t she was thinking about how to get
to the semifinals and she’s here and
made this incredible comeback before a
rockus
crowd and we’re ready to
begin attack from the right from kefir
off Target no
touch there’s the attack you see the
green light so the target area in foil
is that electric jacket if you hit on
the legs or on the top of the Mask it’s
offt Target a white light it’s akin to a
foul ball in baseball and it doesn’t
count as a
touch kefir at the back of the end of
her piece there she goes off that his
point for the
opponent Kefir is just so quick and
squirmy as a small Target is very hard
to
hit she has an incredible Point she can
hit from all different types of angles
when you get into infighting she’s able
to put the light
on
and this time sour did to kefir what
kefir did to sour in the previous action
attacked on Preparation now when
everyone has to watch the attack is not
determined by the footwork it’s
determined by the hand workk the point
threatening the opponent’s valid Target
so keep an eye on the hand who’s moving
first there’s three three-minute periods
with a one minute break in between uh
the first fencer to 15 is the winner
you heard the referee say attack no sour
on the left made a straight attack and
keer somehow squirmed away out of it and
hit on the
Counterattack
and if the fencers don’t reach 15 by the
end of the three three-minute periods
the fencer in the lead is the winner if
the score is tied at the end of those
three three-minute periods or 9 Minutes
uh then there’s a priority determined by
lot and uh the if that final minute goes
the person who had the priority wins it
almost never happens if there’s no touch
scored in that final
minute and whoever scores the touch of
course is the
winner sour changed in the blade because
it didn’t feel quite
right blade has to feel just right in
your hand same as a tennis player the
the the racket has to feel just the
right balance and
everything kefir on the right made the
attack and missed Counterattack was off
Target by
S so kefer is on the march here that’s
another attack off
Target this time keeper is able to
extend and hit on the valid Target on
the electric jacket known as the
lame oh
yeah
what a nice touch by sour as kefir
stepped forward sour took her Blade with
a beat and made the attack when you take
the blade with the beat that gives you
the right of way as
well if you heard the referee say it
tackle fair dwat that means attack on
the blade from the
right but it was off Target from
keeper not that
time keeper is very light in her feet
and has a really great point it’s a very
deadly combination that’s why she’s the
defending Olympic
champion nice repost there by SAR so she
scored her last two actions by taking
keir’s blade let’s watch to see if SAR
can continues to do
that so Kefir is making a lot of attacks
she’s hit off Target about four times
usually she’s very very accurate you see
more colored lights than white lights
but she’s squandered a few of those nice
attacks with off Target
again
oh
[Music]
there’s that point of keeper infighting
crazy actions in there and somehow she
puts the light
on watch the
inight there it was the
REM which is a second
[Music]
action
sour on the left took keir’s attack made
the repost but didn’t hit kefir was able
to retake Sour’s Blade with a counter
repost and
[Music]
scored
out of infighting
there both fencers like to take the
blades attacked from the right it looked
like Keir might have hesitated for a
second but the referee gave her the
attack opens up a commanding 93
lead
[Music]
is there any way to make the repeater so
there’s not a
delay is there any way to make the
repeater so there’s not a
delay question may
something no the referee is this one
normal maybe the weapons weren’t working
where lights can go
on well referee said attack from the
right but it looked like sour took that
Blade with a parry and a repost let’s
see if they both beat the blade at same
let’s take a
look yeah kefir beat the blade too the
rules give it to her if the referee
looks at this and says they both beat
the blade at the same
[Applause]
time but gave it to
Sarah
Sor and the reason the reason the
referee gave at the S cuz keeper did
indeed beat the blade but beat on the
lower third and when you beat on the
lower third of the blade you’re deemed
to been pared you have to be in the
upper 2/3 of the
blade 94 sour needs to get to the break
and regroup come up with the strategy
here and that’s what she’s planning to
do so a pretty easy going there for Lee
kefir of the United States in the first
3-minute period opened up a commanding n
for a lead and at this point sour has to
change her tactics and I would say she
has to try some second intention what
that means is she has to push kefir back
towards her end of the piece trying to
drug keir’s attack and hoping to pick a
Paran
repost but I think she has to make kefir
a little bit less comfortable than she’s
been so far she’s been very comfortable
and uh it’s time for sour maybe to take
some risks because uh 94s a big
lead okay we’re back for the second
three
periods
[Applause]
so kefir has other ideas he’s saying why
should I let s wait for Sarah to change
her TX I’m just going to continue to do
what
working
repost from SAR off
target attack from kefir so sour had to
put kefir back in the defensive but the
opposite has occurred
[Music]
here
oh
[Applause]
my wow keep just has the timing there
just caught sour flat footed and just
did a faint attack to the back
oh which is one of her favorite target
areas to attack on the back back
shoulder tackle Keepers know it missed
and then sour had the right away was
able to make a new
attack this is what Sarah needs to
do just to push kefir back to the end
where she runs out of options she can’t
Retreat out of that box
wow sour had the parry and the Repose
but you know something on the Parry she
stood up and when you stand up like that
you lose your point control a little bit
and she
missed attack up the be beat from keeper
off
Target still the attack from the right
you can see that Sour’s red light went
on first but she did not have the right
away kef was coming forward attacking
threatening Sour’s valid
Target
and a rem from keeper and I
think Sour’s having trouble here even
getting inside the target area of
keeper keir’s hand is quicker the feet
are quicker her hand is quicker and
that’s a deadly combin ation when you’re
ranked number one in the
world tackle
Target well there’s a sweet one for
sour
oh my how did that get
[Applause]
through kefir at the back of the end
leaning backwards really against the
much longer sour was able to somehow
throw that lightning strike in and she’s
one away from the gold medal
bat attack from the left off
target attack from the right and Lee
Kefir is into the gold medal Fout in
front of her hometown fans as they give
her some polite
[Applause]
Applause coaches shake hands thank the
referee Jo your first winner Lee kefir
other day at the office for
her
next up we’re going to have the 15th
ranked Lawrence Scruggs of the United
States against the seventh ranked Ariana
erago of Italy two-time World
Champion ladies and gentlemen
one coming up on the right we have La SC
United States of America
[Applause]
[Music]
for ER go
35 scrug is
[Music]
21
[Music]
and Ariana origo has had a storied
career in World Cups she has 10 Golds
eight Silvers and 15 bronze
medals in World Championships she’s
twice the champion three times a silver
medalist five times the bronze
medalist in Grand PR such as this she’s
got seven Golds seven Silvers eight
bronzes and she has a silver at the
London Olympic Games one of the greatest
women’s foil fencers in history Ariana
origo
[Music]
strug’s try to attack with a flesh which
is a running action where you cross your
feet gets you there quicker than a
lunge
aro’s pushing uh in a gentle manner when
she was earlier in her career she was a
bulldozer tack from the left scrs asked
for a review Aro was
just a runaway freight train she would
attack attack attack and there was no
way to stop her uh that that’s when she
was in her 20s now she’s 35 not as easy
but you can still see that the mindset
is one of
attacking
beat
beat attack that’s attack from the left
referee said repre the attack first
attack was no but then took a second
chance started again
Dido she’s a head taller than scrub much
longer reach huge
Advantage this time scrubs attacked and
the referee said no it missed no light
Aro scores on the counter
attack and Scruggs needs to get on the
board
[Music]
here
[Music]
so scrubs there attack missed and she
just stopped fening she thought she hit
can’t do that origo just got basically a
free throw uh scrs had stopped referee
didn’t
cal
and scrubs is down on the PE
they called over the medical
personnel they tweaked the KNE there and
the rules are that once the uh medical
personnel determined that there is a
legitimate verified injury there’ll be a
5 minute injury
break
the referee there you saw CN Varga of
Hungary who used to be a member of their
Olympic team um it’s quite interesting
when you see there’s V it’s quite
interesting when you see fencers who are
extremely successful um many of them
when they’re done they’re done and some
of them go continue in the sports and
continue the referee uh they do it to
get back to the sport they do it because
they love it and uh Varga is one of them
in the in contrast most of the referees
here weren’t Olympic level fencers and
they were just great referees but they
have someone that did both hats off
toar let’s see let’s watch the left
knee
watch look like she stood up there she
might have tweaked it because the doctor
doesn’t say five minutes
here’s the USA trainer the injury has to
be verified by the official medical
personnel but certainly the Spenser can
be worked on by their country’s
trainer and you can see there they
started the clock at uh the 5 minute
clock has
begun countdown clock
it’s funny um years back there was a uh
one of the grand PRI this April Grand
Prix was held in Long Beach California
at the Long Beach Convention Center and
I happened to be calling that one as
well and origo was in the bout and
during her bout the Lights Went Out the
Lights Went Out in the convention center
and we had to stop the fencing for about
40 minutes so maybe that she has
something to do with this
coincidence
Aro tried something unprecedented well
for recent fening history for the last
Olympic cycle she tried to qualify for
the Italian team in both foil which was
pretty much a forun conclusion that she
would and saber which very rarely back
in the old days you know you would have
fencers fence two weapons stre meet very
rarely do have people qualify in more
than one weapon and she tried and she
started started off to cycle hot had a
very good result and candidly I’m not
sure that the Italian fencing Federation
was happy with that they wanted her to
focus in one event they probably didn’t
want her to take away a saber spot from
one of the other Bonafide saber fenes
but it all worked out for everybody
because Aro did not qualify in sa so you
got to give her credit for
trying cuz the travel schedule for these
fences is much training and traveling
you know it’s tournaments every other
weekend it seems like World Cups are
Grand PR once a month now if you double
that with a second weapon that’s a lot
that’s a lot of
work okay we’re back to action sprogs is
ready to go
[Applause]
[Music]
attacked no say the ref now was attacked
by Scruggs in the right it was a beat
attack she tried a really nice move
couldn’t put the light on and er go
scored on the counter
attack oh just a simple attack with the
with a almost like a half lunge by here
we
[Music]
[Applause]
go eight
nothing you’re def there’s an attack
there you go they when your defenser
standing enough you said come on just
give me one let me get on the board let
me get off the schneide let me break the
ice let’s see what happens and it
happened so let’s see if scrs can build
[Applause]
up so when you’re at a reach
disadvantage at scrug is you have to
take your opponent’s BL to get closer
inside the target
area that’s what SCS has to
do oh that’s just a simple one two
attack
and
two two of the last actions for almost
too
easy even that one is off
Target scrubs has to change her Tempo
maybe change the speed just make Aro a
little bit uncomfortable right now she’s
in a comfort zone she’s not worried
about getting
hit but she got hit
there
yes referee to test to see if the blade
was working the white light went on
signifying that it was and therefore
Scruggs a second touch is
[Music]
official
REM of the attack which means oro’s
first one was parried it was her
continuation
and as Yogi Bara was famous for saying
it’s getting late early here for scrug
she’s got to get some
touches
[Music]
[Music]
you see scrubs there just did a straight
attack from distance origo was able to
retreat out of it and make her new
attack Scruggs has to get inside’s
defense attack no from Scruggs and the r
again the posto missed scug scored in
the
[Applause]
remise
[Applause]
scrs gets her fourth
touch attack from the
left
so it’s pretty clear that this bout is
most likely going to go to a and she is
dominant and scrubs is not able to
find pack from the right not able to
find really an answer it’s 5:14 it’s not
over yet but one thing you have to say
for Laurence
scrubs this is her first time on the
podium and to get a bronze medal at a
Grand Prix certainly has to be one of
the greatest moments of her relatively
young
career and she’ll be back to fight
another day but she’s still fighting
here she’s got a break and let’s see if
her
coach is able
to come up with a strategy that maybe
enables scrs to to get a few touches
here and bring it a little bit
closer lot of easy Touches for
AO
how that Scruggs his body language she’s
a little frustrated a little
disappointed wish this went a different
way but today went a great way for her
no matter what happens there’s the
cherion the 1998 Olympic gold
medalist in men’s foil one of the great
foil fencers of all
time John maen like pigger when he
fenced pay you wanted to pay to watch
him wow straight one two faint disengage
Attack oros One away from the
goal and there it is a dominant
performance in the
semifinals by Italy’s Ariana
origo and we are going to be in for a
treat in the gold medal because although
nobody has to pay for it that’s like a
pay-per-view Main Event between origo
and the defending Olympic champion Lee
kefir make sure you stick around for
that one and now we’re going to get
ready for the men’s
semis that was Sean mlan sc’s
coach
Ariana Aro one of the greatest wi schol
offensers in
history moves on easily into the gold
medal
B
[Music]
okay we’re going to get ready for the
men to be entering into the field of
play and coming making their way up onto
the podium for their
[Music]
introductions
okay we’re back and we are eagerly
awaiting the entrance of the four men’s
foil semifinalists here at the
Washington DC F Grand Prix at the Walter
E Washington Convention
Center the men started with
233 fencers in their
field and we’re down to the final
four we’re coming out of the holding
pen they’re soon to be making their way
out and in the first bout we’re going to
see Lio Maki of Italy the number nine
ranked fencer against Nick kkin at the
United States the number five ranked
fencer one of the featured fencers that
we highlighted at the beginning of the
program uh Nick kkin is in top shape top
form um he does not get paid by the hour
he comes out to try to end his bouts as
quickly as
possible and uh he’s very exciting to
watch He’s Long Tall fast feet
incredibly light and quick hand all
these fencers have are quick and fast
and everything but itkin right now seems
to be like someone to really keep an eye
on uh in
Paris
so Maki has a bronze at a World Cup in
Paris
2024 this year he’s won the zonal
Championships once he’s got a silver
medal at a Grand Prix in tourin 2023
itkin has a gold medal at a World Cup in
Paris
2020 as well as a bronze in bond Germany
2018 that’s a long time ago but at the
World Championships he has a silver
medal in in
Milan last year and the previous year he
had a bronze medal in Cairo so he is a
fencer on the Move Grand PRI itkin took
the silver Shanghai
2019 as well as the bronze and
tourin uh this year all right so fenes
are making their way out into the field
of play soon to be making their way onto
the raised Podium
pie here they
come itkin leading the
way on the
right
[Music]
show
fromal the
2023
[Music]
Champion here’s felipa
Maki United States
ofer top
Teck that’s right if you heard the
public address announcer Tokyo Olympics
bronze medalist for the United
States
next up France those two have never yet
[Music]
Met’s the four two time world
champion here’s
matama
for
[Music]
tonight here the
[Music]
referees ladies and gentlemen our
finalist and our
[Music]
so here’s how we got
here
Maki beat his teammate
biani itkin beat the grief lefor beat
the 18-year-old Andrew
Chen
there’s the left-handed
Maki 10% of the populace is Left-Handed
yet at the last few Olympic Games 25% of
the field was
left-handed
see those marks in the back of the L
those are the stamps to make sure that
it works at all the various
competitions they test they salute the
referee and we are ready to
go
took a little bit of time there he
actually took 5 Seconds to get a
touch it’s Mak didn’t Ro he been hit no
nothing meant by that itkin if you’re
watching they’re okay he was T preparing
by beating the blade beating maki’s
blade beating finally he beat the blade
and saw an opening and made the
attack that’s the right call by the
referee maki’s beat attack was no it
didn’t hit and itkins counter attacker
new action was off
Target again Maki takes the initiative
beats itkins blade doesn’t hit the light
doesn’t go on and kkin able to
score oh itkin with a quick parry and
repost right in the middle there a
little frustrating for Maki he’s down 4
nothing but it could easily have been
2-2 because he made two really nice
actions and just didn’t get the light
on referee says attack so the attack
from Maki hit directly before kkin was
able to Parry it
and he’s on the
board and this time Maki stepped forward
and iino an opening made just a straight
lunge into his
preparation referee test maki’s blade
and once the light goes on signifying
that the
electric worked he just missed he went
he you can see he missed
there oh itkin with a quick faint attack
to the flank under the arm of
Maki itkin is a touchs scoring machine
right now
[Music]
71
again maky wants to have his blade
tested oh how frustrating must it
be you not even putting the light on
you’re making good actions and the
light’s not going on so let’s watch
why to me it just looked like maki’s
blade glanced off the the stomach or the
the lower chest of itkin looked like he
didn’t hit with the point it glanced off
you have to hit with the point the point
has to hit and depress with at least 500
G of pressure to make the electric
circuit complete and maki’s been having
trouble doing
[Music]
that well that was just a a lot of
punching inside it’s that’s going to be
a tough one for the referee to call
let’s he’s going to go look at the video
on his own the fencers didn’t request
it and I think if neither fencer gets
this touch neither one will be upset
about
it that was a boxing match basically a
lot of remes
Jesus Here Comes The Ref and and
thankfully nobody got that touch he says
no touch let’s start
again oh boy just a plain bang Zoom par
poost right in the middle mak’s got to
get out of the middle here he’s got to
try to move itkin down his side of the
piece but easier said than done because
he’s like a locomotive coming
forward referee gave this for Maki itkin
immediately ask for review the fencers
get let’s see watch
beat well let’s
see Parry repost for the left no
complaint from
itkin so defenses get two challenges
in again Maki misses on the attack itkin
on the Counterattack how frustrating if
he hit on half of those uh attacks it
could be like you know 7 six or
something like that anyway he didn’t and
it’s not so defenses get two challenges
um in the bat if the referee reverses
the call the defenser maintains that
challenge so itkin used one of them he
has one left it’s
112
you know what’s frustrating for Maki
forget red lights against itkin he’s not
even getting white
lights PR defair says the referee which
means beat attack which means the
priority goes to Maki he beat the blade
first it can try to counter beat if they
both be at the same time the person who
initiates it gets
it
attack from itkin
123 referee gives us to
kkin looked to me like itkin first was
short and Maki might have had the right
away but let’s see what the ref when
they look at the replay if they made a
mistake they’ll get it right let’s watch
itkin
hard to
tell he did reverse it so the referee
changed his
call power poost Again by Maki
so that’s a couple in a
row couple more makes it
interesting oh and Maki goes for a beat
attack to the back or the flank under
the arm of kkin who angled his body
forced Maki to
miss and scores into the counter
attack oh
my
itkins on a
roll beat attack ref says a tackle Fair
beat attack from Maki I went for the car
attack well everything else has worked
why
not there it is
[Applause]
go Nick kkin of the United
States with a resounding 15 to6 victory
over Philipe makaki who gets a
well-earned
bronze medal today great
job here’s itkins coach his father Misha
there’s
cherion the Olympic champion from
1988 H it can just he’s feeling the
timing his point is
accurate he’s fast with his hand he’s
fast on his feet he’s got it going and
he’s going to be a force to be reckoned
with in the gold medal bat tonight
that’s for
sure next up will be the sixth ranked
two time world champion Enzo lefor of
France and he’ll be up against the 10th
rank
Matsuyama kuki of Japan there’s
itkin there’s the home crowd very
happy
and let’s look at how the fencers got
here lefor beat Leong of Hong Kong in
the uh in the
64 1511 then beat
cido of France 15 to7 his country mate
then beat Daniel Dosha of Hungary 15 to
12 and then beat 18-year-old Andrew Chen
who was on a Magical Mystery Tour here
today with a great result beat him uh 15
to 10 to get
here matuyama beat kusba of lvia
156 yurkovich Poland
15-1
Chen
[Music]
of China 15- 14 in a
squeaker and then beat imura his country
mate 15 to 12 to get
here and we’re about ready to
[Music]
go the Lefty there
[Music]
maama here we
go pack from uh that’s yama’s
no four
scores
432 MSI I’m at
27 Oh there’s a nice attack by lefor
just a
faint Matti followed it and then went
around it for a simple
attack
the beat attack from lefor is no it
missed matama gets his first touch on a
[Music]
Counterattack what a repost by
lefor came close to covering Target with
his back arm which would have negated
that touch but the referee didn’t think
so attack from the left off Target you
can see it hit lefor on his knee or his
thigh it’s a white light it’s like a
foul ball in baseball and we start
again o will tried to sneak one in in
the low
line that time he snuck one in in The
High
Line right to the
[Music]
[Music]
shoulder referee says attack from L for
no Counterattack off target attack off
Target
straight attack by lefor right in the
middle of the piece just a straight
lunge he’s longer than M watch
lefor just a straight attack look like
he hit him on the bib which is
electrified the lower part of the bib of
the Mask is valid Target it looks like
that’s where he
hit
back in the day the bib used to be uh
invalid and it covered part of the valid
Target some fencers seem to have bigger
bibs than others and the FI made a great
change by making the bib part of the
valid Target and leveling the playing
field and that’s where Le four
hit meanwhile it’s a commanding 6-1 lead
for the two-time world champion Enzo La
for
France he’s keeping really nice distance
on Matsuyama not allowing Matsuyama to
get inside his distance to to even get
near the Val
target attack no from the left counter
te
4 looks like looks at his coach with his
hand and goes I don’t know what happened
but I got it see I got
it so mat’s attack missed Le for’s new
attack missed and Yama then scored on
his second
action beat attack from Matsuyama is
Parry by lefor who makes a repost off
Target and some off targets are more
painful than others we’ll leave it at
that
seconds and evidently this Target is
more painful than some of those Le for
is ready
though ah mat nice tactic there he came
forward Drew out Le for’s attack he was
waiting with a Parry repost but
unfortunately for him he hit off
Target all right he’s picking up the
tempo here he needs to change the tempo
a little
[Music]
bit
oh a beautiful repost by lefor but the
light didn’t go on at Matsuyama watch
leforce
Parry Parry repost misses and Matsuyama
got a RSE which is a lucky touch but it
counts straight attack by lefor matama
asking for a
review
repri attack which means the retaking of
the attack from the right by
lafor attack from La four is no matama
steps in with the Counterattack and very
quickly it’s 48 another touch or two and
it gets really
close not to be had
says Le for with a nice
repost and there’s Le for’s old teammate
irn leesu who’s the
coach of
matama
the remes by lafor you know something he
took matters into his own hands he got
hit a couple times and said I’m going to
go back on the attack and I’m going to
be the provocator
and and it
worked so mat changing that
blade so we talked about the video
review when you look at the two of the
greatest Innovations changes in the
sport of fencing in the last century
fencing used to be dry dry means it
wasn’t electric which means you had a
referee who called the action and then
you had side judges who determined
whether the actual blade Point hit the
opponent well fortunately that was
changed I believe in uh 1956 my father
Dan had fence at the 1952 Olympics when
it was dry and then it changed over to
Electric in 1956 that was a great
Innovation attack from lefores no it
stopped mat’s attack is off Target
and the Second Great innovation of
course was replay because every touch
was chaos and Carnage and yelling and
screaming the tension in the room was
immense and as a referee I could tell
you you couldn’t walk out of any
competition unscathed because everyone
thought you were making mistakes right
and left okay so now they brought the
replay which was basically The Equalizer
it made mediocre refs good good refs
great great refs nearly perfect and the
bottom line is at the end of the day
thanks to replay we get the calls right
almost all of the time and the tension
level in the competition now the fencers
are focused on their opponent not on the
referee and there’s a straight attack by
lefor he’s had to three or four of
those he’s deceptively long he’s long
but he’s longer than he even
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
looks
repos by Le
four as I mentioned earlier Irwin mosu
one of the greatest fren French men’s
foils of all time is coach coing meama
the’s coaches Emer
clo how about that a straight flesh
attack by Matsuyama his first of the
bout watch him explosive attack right
there will he try it
again he’s on the
March
oh a counter rep post by matama misses
the REM of the repost by lefor hits he’s
one
away oh matuyama went for the back when
the point flicked off the light didn’t
go
on there is your winner and into the
gold medal bout against Nick kkin
there’s your Enzo laf for France the
two-time world
champion and we are in for a treat with
both of our gold medal
bouts origo kefir lefor
[Music]
kkin and we’ll take a break and we’ll be
back with the finals
[Music]
shortly
k
[Music]
see
women are here walking
out
[Music]
all right ladies and
[Music]
[Music]
gentlemen
representing the United
[Music]
States
keep okay here we go with our gold medal
bout in women’s foil for the
20124 Washington DC fi Grand
Prix and this should be a Humdinger
we’re looking at right there Ariana
arago of Italy one of the greatest most
decorated fencers women’s foil fencers
in history with her coach who wasn’t
chop liver either as he was an Olympic
gold medalist Stefano
cherion and she’ll be up against on the
right the defending Olympic champion Le
kef for number one in the world at
rgo world rank number
nine a real contrast of styles here even
of body type
um and kefir has come to this very
little sluggish early in the day
overcame an 11-2 deficit in the round of
eight and here she is against Aro for
the
[Applause]
goal attack from arigo is no counter
attack is good and in 5 seconds keir’s
up two
nothing
attack from the rights is the referee
Oro thinks it’s the other way
around at first glance it appeared that
way to me as well but that’s why we have
replay and if they come back quickly
that means that they’re not going to
change the
call attack from the right so it’s three
nothing 6 seconds in origo has already
burned one of her two challenges which
might have been an error that cost her
later
[Applause]
[Music]
head wow ke for just one after another
oro’s looking to establish herself as
the one to
beat having returned to the field to
play after having twins that’s
[Music]
amazing as a Rigo stepped forward kefir
took the blade and it’s 6
nothing they have been nothing oro’s got
to pick it up right now change the tempo
move the feet take the
blade
[Music]
out kefir got something in her eye you
do some
sweat
particle but she’s ready to
go and she’s going
[Applause]
that’s a repost
marigo P poost
Beauty still the attack from origo the
green light went on kefir hit first but
oro’s arm is moving forward she has the
right away gets her second
touch and I’ve watched a lot of fencing
I’ve never seen anyone better at the
infighting in close than
[Music]
kefir
oh my God oro’s waiting with a Parry the
repost misses the light doesn’t go on
kefir scores in the remes and one minute
in it’s
9-2
well Keir has the most accurate point
and she’s so light on her
feet
beat attack is no and the car attch by
Oro scores you can tell from her body
language that she needs a pickme up
right
now and the repost missed by ego part of
the reason is she stood up when you
stand up like that you lose the ability
to control your point if you stay down
in the young guard you have a better
chance
[Music]
Keir
the repost misses R hits one thing about
Lee kefir she puts the light on you see
a lot of fencers Miss and Kefir is one
of those fencers that always puts the
light on attack from the right it’s 13
to
[Applause]
[Music]
three
[Music]
arigo with a nice repost
there she needs another on her
preparation Oro steps forward and Kefir
is one away from the gold
medal and there is your Champion the
defending Olympic champion and the
current Washington DC Grand Prix
Champion Lee kefir of the United States
with a dominant performance 15 to4 she
almost was eliminated in the round of
eight the quarterfinals she dug down
deep and came back from 211 to win 15
to2 and then just cruised into the gold
medal there’s your
Champion Lee kefir of the United
[Applause]
States there’s her coach Amad
kbach he says I told you if you listen
to me that’s what would happen they make
a great pairing great
Synergy Here’s the final touch Keir beat
attack right to the
middle there’s nothing to be sneezed at
a silver medal for Ariana origo uh but
today the better fencer and the the
winning Champion the deserving Champion
Lee
kefir
[Applause]
take
[Music]
for
only one of the men is here right now
the second one is not here
yet
to the field of play here they come Nick
kkin of the United States on the right
against enzel for of France and lefor
looks to be back in his absolute best
itkin has been one of the most
consistent in recent times and has also
looked awesome in the semis but it’s the
four the two-time World Champ against
the New Breed
itkin so we have a real contrast here
itkin is a hungry
lion there he is getting a big rounding
Applause from the fans here his hometown
fans and there’s Enzo lefor the two time
Olympic
champion old old guard New
Breed and itkin who likes to he doesn’t
get paid by the hour he wants to win and
he wants to win
quickly and let’s see what lefor is able
to do to stem The Runaway Train of Nick
kkin
[Music]
and this is his opponent Enzo
lefor a Wy
veteran makes straight attacks in the
middle like he did against Matsuyama
there and I don’t think he’ll be
intimidated by the Young Lion and let’s
see how
this
unravels rep post mkin off
Target
[Applause]
itkin gets the first
touch straight attack from kkin and just
a Counterattack by lefor he’s going to
have to do more than that against itkins
locomotive like
attack attack back in preparation by
itkin quick 3 nothing
lead preparation from itkin his arm was
Back le foro an opening and
scored and he gets his first
touch’s attack is off Target no
touch forer post missed itkin was then
allowed to make his new attack and
scores to make it
4-1 and the lightning quick itkin scores
on Le for’s preparation the second time
with that
action
referee says attack from the left itkins
says didn’t I get the blade I heard a
blade contact but the referee says it
was provoked by lefor and he gets the
touch
it’s after halt there’s core core which
is body contact says the
referee it would have been itkins repost
but there was body contact there and no
new action can begin after the Halt and
that’s why itkin didn’t get the
call an argument can be made that he
should have been allowed to get it
because the core core body contact was
provoked by
lefor and he gets a a a card a yellow
card for covering Target with his back
arm does le for another infraction would
be a penalty touch a point for
itkin attack from the right beat attack
watch itkin he’s taking the blade with a
beat which gives him the right away and
just a counter attack by
lefor
it’s got to change the tempo here make
itkin a little bit
uncomfortable attack off Target from the
left okay lefor tried an attack which
was pared the repost Bing was no lefor
was off
target attack the go attack from the
left a nice attack in the middle we
talked about that at the beginning lefor
is able he’s very long but deceptively
long and is able to score in straight
attacks like that with a simple lunge
right in the middle of the piece he did
it
there wow itkin is a
buzzsaw made the attack no the remes no
the repost no the REM of the repost yes
he’s a buz
saww four needs to change his Tempo
maybe try to put uh it off guard a
little bit by just maybe beating
or all for not because as he stepped
forward it can made the attack 8 to3
watch
itkin sees the
opening lefor needs to break the tempo
here he has to make a faint or a beat
and try to maybe second intention draw
itkin
in he can’t do simple actions even
though he scored in the middle of the
piece once or twice that’s not going to
work for the whole bout he needs to
break the tempo uh maybe a beat a faint
try to get itkin to come out and try to
Parry and repost him but kkin is so
quick on his feet his hand is so
[Music]
fast again on for his preparation he
can’t comes forward slowly like that
itkin is too
quick quicker footwork by
lefor
[Applause]
no okay so there’s a repost second
intention lefor came forward Drew itkin
and made a parer post needs to do that
again he did attack no and and new
attack
good so 94 is 96 the temperature has
changed here a little bit lefor needs to
build on
that
and itkin makes tries to make a straight
attack and the Wy veteran leforce steps
back watching
Parry Parry repost to the back of beauty
and it’s 79 and we have a ball
game oh lefor again so itkin now is
getting a little over anxious on the
attack and lefor is stepping back and
seeing that attack able to Parry
it this is the other way around lefor
went with the straight attack it can
made the par rep
poost turnab is fair
play
for pushing trying to dren
out actually made a beautiful straight
attack there so lefor is going to have
to try to push itkin to his side of the
past
here
before asking for a review let’s see
why he might I think he’s saying that it
can cover with his
mask and and he and he attack no the car
attack was good iin didn’t cover he
stuck straight down which is perfectly
legal a beautiful attack back by lefor
it’s
811 he’s hung in there even though it
can dominate at the
beginning and he needs to build on that
now don’t recommend a Counterattack
again
attack off Target now lefor is doing
better here he’s made the score closer
but the one thing you have to notice is
that he gets punished by itkin the
slightest mistake and itkin will take
advantage of it uh in
preparation so he’s got to be extremely
careful can’t afford to do
that
what a repost by Nick
kkin watch this Parry repos to the back
like took a a lesson with his father
yesterday
amazing
good tactic by lefor he attacked in
stages he pushed once pushed a second
time finally got a little bit closer saw
an opening opening and
scored he’s got to close the lead soon
cuz we’re getting closer to
15
attack no by lefor and for one of the
few times itkin didn’t punish lefor in a
mistake he hit off
target attack no it can somehow squirmed
out of the
[Applause]
way there’s his teammate grick Minard
being his fifth Olympics in Paris oh he
sort of angled his body caused lefor to
miss it’s 139 and he’s just two
away attack from the right off Target
from
kkin wow what a repost by Le
[Applause]
four a attack from lefor and that’s the
first time in a while two in a row it’s
11113 the pressure could change very
quickly depending on the next touch this
is a big
one attack off Target from
lefor
attack off Target by
lefor so itkin knows that’s two in a row
he knows lefor is attacking
here and on the preparation The Punisher
Nick kkin punishes lefor again with a
slight mistake sees the opening and
scores to bring him to One Touch from
the gold
medal
[Applause]
not not yet says the Wy veteran and
two-time World Champion
[Applause]
lefor and there’s your
Champion Nick kkin of the United
States cheers of Joy there’s his father
and coach
Misha can’t imagine his heart rate right
now fen’s hug great
sportsmanship your
2024 Washington DC fi Grand Prix men’s
foil gold medalist Nick
[Music]
kkin we said he was a fencer to watch
today he’s on fire he’s on
form he’s physically talented he’s got
his accurate point he’s quick on his
feet he’s quick with his hand he
is a machine out
there and it was a close bout but Nick
kkin there he
is deserving
[Music]
champion we’ve had a great day here in
Washington
DC great fencing exciting
fencing and the
hometown United States fans were very
happy getting the gold medal in both
women’s foil with Lee kefir and immense
foil with Nick
kkin now that’s one happy camper
wouldn’t you
[Music]
say
oh man that that’s going to take a while
to get that smile off his
face there’s his
dad
Misha
[Music]
coach oh my God beautiful beautiful come
on guys
it’s a hugfest out
there Nick
kkin now it’s time for some
autographs okay now we’ll look at some
of the highlights here there’s Nick
kin that was the winning touch the four
a little disappointed
there attack and
preparation
kkin every time he had had the smallest
opening he took advantage of
it there’s the adoring
crowd some pictures some
autographs those kids will never forget
[Music]
that great day in the career the young
career of Nick
kkin certainly one of the fencers to
watch in Paris
are
very
than nice to see
you
well we’ve had an action-packed day of
fencing here in Washington DC and we
started off with the women’s semi-finals
where defending Olympic champion and
number one ranked Lee kefir defeated an
saour of Germany and that was followed
up by one of the great fencers of all
time in women’s foil Ariana arago
defeating Laurence
scrubs which set up uh what we hope to
be a great great match match of uh the
alltime great erigo against kefir but
kefir came through with a resounding
Victory she’s on top of her game
certainly as a favorite for Paris and on
the men’s side we saw Nick kkin against
filipo Maki and ikin who has been strong
the whole tournament with a a decisive
Victory and that was followed up by
two-time world champion Enzo lafor
France with a pretty clear victory over
Matsuyama suuki of Japan which set up
one of those pay-per-view Main Event
young versus old bouts between uh lefor
in his mid-30s against itkin in his mid
20s and itkin was dominant early on
lefor hung in there as the crafty
veteran kept it close closer than you
would have thought at 1214 but at 1214
itkin as he had been doing the whole bat
saw the slightest opening attacked into
the preparation of the four and became
the champion the gold medalist here in
Washington we’re getting ready for the
medal ceremony in this incredibly
exciting day and we’re going to have the
four semifinalists come up for the for
their presentation and we’ll have the
the medal presentation very
shortly
[Music]
e
get a picture of me in the
a
daddy
I I can’t
do
[Music]
[Music]
take
[Applause]
that’s
oh
[Music]
Mak
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
pleas
for
okay
let’s take a look at some of the
highlights of these exciting bouts today
there’s lefor and
itkin and itkin just made lefor pay
every time the slightest opening itkin
is like a cat he’s fast and he strikes
like a
cobra and there’s the winning touch for
your
champion who gets the gold medal and a
lot of confidence on the way the road to
Paris and here we go with the women
and there’s Lee kefir on the
right number one in the world defending
Olympic champion on the top of her
game and she just was too quick in this
bout for Ariana
arago and the Kefir is
just a great Champion she’s number one
in the
world
and she certainly battled adversity
today almost getting eliminated in The
quarterfinals being down 11
to2 the midal ceremony is about to start
in a few
minutes you can hear in the public
address they’re calling the fencers to
the
podium sometimes it’s like hurting cats
as you
say that is the podium right
there but those are not our
medalists
this
e
so
Miner
all right ladies
[Music]
gentl Round of Applause ladies and
gentlemen
we got some special presenters here help
us
[Music]
[Music]
the and we are back for the medal
ceremony here at the
2024 Washington DC men’s and women’s
foil Grand
Prix
ofin here come the fenor up to the metal
[Music]
Podium there are your women’s
foilist from a field of one70 these were
the top
four here in Washington
DC
[Music]
and S from
Germany very
[Music]
happyr and there’s Lauren Scruggs of the
United States had a bit of a tough go
but certainly it’s her greatest uh
result ever and hopefully to start of
something really big for
her
[Music]
there is one of the greatest fencers in
women’s foil history Ariana
arago having given birth to twins she’s
back on the scene and a great
accomplishment with by winning the
silver medal
here and a big
[Music]
smile there is your Champion your gold
medalist Lee kefir of the United States
she’s a defending Olympic gold medalist
a favorite in Paris for
sure
and she was a deserving Champion
today and when she was down 112 in her
quarterfinal bout I didn’t think I’d be
seeing that smile up on the gold medal
Podium today but she has the Heart of a
Lion she came
[Applause]
back and there’s a Monumental trophy
that she has
won
there are our four medalists here at the
Washington DC women’s foil Grand
Prix kefir arago sour and
Scruggs now we’ll have United States
national anthem un States of
America
[Music]
[Music]
for
[Music]
[Applause]
congratulations to
allers
[Music]
congratulations and there are our
medalist Ariana arigo on the left Lee
kefir your Champion right in the middle
with a big smile an a sour of Germany
followed by laurren Scruggs a great day
great
accomplishment and next up will be the
men’s medal
ceremony here’s keeper with her coach
amgad
kbak well Lee kefer certainly a big
favorite going into
Paris she’s at the top of her game she’s
number one
and she’s always a
threat
okay
okay
are
put on
there
e
and here we are for the final Feelgood
moment of a feel-good evening it’ll be
the medal ceremony for the men’s foil
for the
2024 Washington
DC Grand
Prix
ex and the wi will be presented
by CEO
of they started with 223 fencers and
battled their way down to the final four
here are four medalists Italy
fipo there’s filipo Maki of
Italy one of our bronze medalists our
second bronze medalist from
kuki
matama Matsuyama kusuki of Japan our
other bronze
medalist great achievement by these two
fencers of course they want to do better
but when you’re on the podium you’ve had
a successful
competition
there’s are bronze medalists Maki and
Matsuyama almost a
[Music]
smile and there’s your silver medal is a
two-time world champion from France Enzo
Le
for
great great
fencer and just was up against a Pitbull
Tonight There’s look for it always good
to see you can’t win them all but you
got to smile that’s good to
see2 Washington
DC United States
ofer and there was your dominant
champion a locomotive a pitbull he is
tough he is quick and he’s someone to
watch at the Paris Olympic Games Nick
kkin from the United
States he’s a buzzsaw out
there you have to smile when you win the
gold now we’ll get ready for the the
national anthem of the United
States ladies and
gentlemen
flag of the United States of
America
[Music]
[Music]
for
[Music]
[Music]
e
[Music]
[Applause]
it was a wonderful event here in
Washington DC congratulations to the
International Fencing Federation the fie
as well as USA fencing for
hosting
to we have tremendous fencing all around
and
well here we were in the nation’s
capital Washington DC and it was only
fitting that at top the podium in both
the men’s and women’s we were had
American fencers Nick kkin and Lee
kefir
and it was a wonderful competition we
hope you had a we hope you had a great
time and enjoyed it we want to thank you
for joining us at the Washington DC
Grand
Prix
[Music]
e