LOGANATH VELLOO – TheStar.com: AFTER being initially left out altogether from the Malaysian contingent for the Vietnam SEA Games, only a good showing in Hanoi will redeem the Malaysian Fencing Federation (MFF) in the eyes of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).
At least a silver medal is needed to confirm future participation and silence the critics, who have been consistently pointing out Malaysian fencing’s poor record in the biennial Games.
The responsibility falls on Fitzgerald Tsen in the men’s individual foil competition.
If past records are to be taken into account, then Fitzgerald faces an uphill task because fencing has contributed just one bronze medal since the 1993 Games in Singapore.
Although the 28-year-old Sabahan has been living and competing abroad for the past 10 years, the OCM agreed to include him under Category B, based on his encouraging recent results in championships in the United States.
Team manager and former international Mok Chek Wlong believes that a gold or silver in Hanoi would open the door for more local fencers to prove their worth in international competitions.
“We (MFF) wanted to send about 10 of the young fencers, who are in the Bukit Jalil and Bandar Penawar Sports Schools, for exposure in Vietnam,” he said.
“Since fencing has not been contributing medals regularly and the 17 and 18 year olds are still untested and have only been in training for about two years, the OCM shot down the idea.
“We are hoping for a good result by Fitzgerald to open the door for more local fencers to be included in future competitions.”
The last time fencing excelled in the Games was back in 1989 on home soil when Lim Teng Piao won Malaysian fencing’s sole gold medal to date in the men’s foil and Chek Wlong himself contributed a silver and bronze for a 1-2-5 haul.
Fitzgerald, an instructor at the Wichita Fencing Academy in Kansas, will arrive in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 1 before flying off to Hanoi on Dec 7.
Despite not competing in any local tournaments this year, he was selected based on his finishing among the medal winners in several American competitions, including the Illinois, Kansas City and Minnesota Opens.
“Although he has not competed in the region, the local fencing community has been feeling positive lately on Fitzgerald’s chances because he has defeated several of his main SEA Games rivals in the American circuit,” said Chek Wlong. “There is a bright chance for Malaysia to end a 14-year gold medal drought in fencing in Vietnam.”
