In individual women’s foil competition today, Erinn Smart (New York, N.Y.) was eliminated in the round of 32 by Venezula’s Mariana Gonzales. The bout went to time as Smart tried to overcome a first period 4-0 deficit. Both struggled hard; Gonzales was awarded two red cards, and Smart one. The score at the end of the second 3-minute period was 7-4 for Gonzales; Smart was unable to catch up in the end and lost 14-12.
The defeat was a blow for Smart, who aimed to avenge a one-touch semifinal loss to Gonzales at the 2003 Pan American Games last summer.
Gonzales was defeated by 2000 Olympic champion Valentina Vezzali in the next round, 15-4.
In the semifinals, Vezzali faced archrival Sylwia Gruchala of Poland. Victories between two have gone back and forth for the past several seasons; this time Vezzali prevailed 15-3.
Vezzali and her Italian teammate Giovanna Trillini fenced for the gold. The pair are arguably the greatest women’s foil fencers in the history of the sport. Vezzali won her second individual Olympic title and fifth Olympic medal by the score of 15-11. The silver was Trillini’s seventh Olympic medal.
Gruchala defeated Hungary’s Aida Mohammed for the bronze, 15-9.
