The opening rounds of the men’s epee competition at the 2008 Olympic Games provided many upsets, as seems to be standard for the epee competition. On a day when no seed was protected, only one of the top 10 fencers would advance to the semifinals. Following are the recaps for the final four bouts of the men’s individual epee competition.
First Semifinal bout: World #10 Matteo Tagliariol vs. Abajo (ESP)
Tagliariol did not let the first Olympics jitters get to him, and he was the lone survivor from the top seeds to make it to the final four. Abajo started the bout pulling distance on the active Italian, scoring a double touch and then three unanswered.
Tagliariol, relying on quick offensive bursts and flicks to the hand, found himself getting hit on the remise or in preparation and was soon down 2-5. At the end of the first period the score was Abajo 6-4. The second period starts almost the same as the first, but now Tagliariol is ready for Abajo’s counter and scores the hit and follows it up with a flick riposte to the shoulder to tie the bout 6-6. As the fencers crash the distance on Abajo’s side of the strip, the Spaniard’s remise lands and puts him back on top.
After a slow, accelerating attack from Matteo ties the score, he goes for the flick riposte again, but is hit with the remise causing a double. The next phrase features Tagliariol’s reposte and then he gets the distance for his short bursting attack and is up by 2 at 10-8. Ahead now, Matteo relaxes and starts to use more of the strip. He pulls and pushes Abajo until catching him, 11-8. Abajo starts to force Tagliariol back to the end of the strip and, as the Italian runs out of room, launches and attack to get within 2. The Italian has taken the 2nd period 7-3 and seems to be in control of the bout.
At the beginning of the third period the Spanish crowd cheers Abajo on. Their fencer responds by finding a break in the Italian’s preparation and reaches double-digits. With the score 11-10, Tagliariol changes epees. Pushing forward, Abajo sees the same opening but this time Matteo is ready and riposts to edge back up by 2. Abajo pushes Tagliariol to the end of the strip and then finds the bottom of his hand to make the score 11-12. As he tries the same tactic again, Tagliariol reels off 2 unanswered attacks to get to match point.
As Tagliariol goes for the action a 3rd time, Abajo avoids the blade and scores. The crowd is sensing a comeback, but Tagliariol will have none of it and finishes the bout, yet again escaping the upset bid and moving on to the gold medal match – 15-12.
Semifinal 2: Jeannet vs. Boszko
The bout starts with the fencers moving to position. Jeannet dancing in and out of the distance until both come together for a double. Jeannet quickly attacks again to go up 2-1 and then tries again, but Boczko catches his blade and makes a twisting riposte to tie it at 2. Pushing his opponent to the end of the strip, Jeannet fleches but only gets a double. On the next action Boczko launches the attack but is doubled out. Sensing his opponent’s timing, Jeannet launches a successful attack, then an attack-remise to go up 2. They end the first period with a double touch and the score is 7-5 for the Frenchman.
The second period begins with a toe touch from Boczko annulled. After switching to a working epee, Jeannet makes his own toe touch and leads 8-5. The two trade touches and then at 10-7 catches Boczko searching for the blade and makes the hit: 11-7. Still pushing, Boc gets the attack off and brings the match within 3 points. Jeannet falls short and Boczko makes him pay. Jeannet pulls to the end of the strip, looking for an opening. Boczko attacks, but is caught by Jeannet’s counter attack and Jeannet gains back a 3 point cushion. The second period ends with Jeannet leading 12-9.
Boczko scores first in the third period and then Jeannet executes a double-touch to get up 13-11, which frustrates the Hungarian. As Boczko prepares, Jeannet launches a fleche. Boczko parries, but it’s too late and Jeannet is up 14-11. On the next action Boczko starts and attack, but again Jeannet is ready and jumps in for the double touch and the 15-12 victory.
Bronze Medal Bout
The bronze medal contenders start the match. Abajo goes for the toe touch only to get hit and is down 0-1. A few seconds later he goes for it again, narrowly getting away before Boczko can hit him for another point. Abajo pushes down towards the end of the strip and then Boczko quickly counters to make it 2-0. Abajo takes a chance and goes for the long attack. His gamble pays of and he’s on the board 1-2. Another two attempts at a toe touch at the end of the strip, the second results in a double touch. Now Abajo slows down a little bit but Boczko is still pulling him back. Abajo probes the distance, then quickly hits another toe touch to tie it at 3. Both fencers make as if they are going to attack, but are content to let the last few seconds tick off the clock to end the first period.
The fencers start the second period cautiously and then Abejo pushes and launches another long attack which scores. Boczko protests, thinking that the point hit the floor, then takes a minute to watch the big screen replay. The referee upholds the point. Abajo launches a quick attack to go up by 2. Boczko presses the attack, which is parried but he makes the counter-parry and falls short on his riposte. Sensing that Abajo isn’t ready, he launches a remise which lands on the body. They double on the next and then Boczko lands a riposte to make the score 6-6. Abajo now presses and the two fencers come together – the referee penalizes Abajo with a yellow card for jostling. The period ends with the fencers still tied.
More of the same game in the 3rd. The fencing is staying at the middle of the strip. Abajo attacks but has to settle for a double touch. Now the Spaniard is pressing again and the Hungarian is going for the counter attacks. Abajo pulls back, and the fencers stay close to the center earch looking for the decisive opening.
With 40 seconds left Boczko starts pressing and making more feints into Abajo. Boczko presses but won’t overcommit and Abajo doesn’t feel it so won’t go. The period ends at 7-7.
Sudden death begins with priority to Abajo. They go back to pressing and the blade actions get more and more frantic as each is trying to catch the other. With only 8 seconds left they both go and double out. Boczko has to press now and pushes Abajo down to the end of the piste, but misses his attack. Abajo’s counter lands true and he wins the bronze medal to a cheering crowd.
Gold Medal Bout
Jeannet starts off with a quick attack to the toe to lead 1-0. Tagliariol comes in but misses Jeannet’s blade and is down 0-2. Both fencers are using much more of the strip than the lst bout – each dancing in and out of the distance. Tagliariol advances and hits an attack to Jeannet’s upper arm. On the next action they double and Tagliariol’s epee is bent at a 45 degree angle. The score is 3-2 Jeannet and the Italian retrieves a new epee. Jeannet goes for the toe, but Tagliariol is ready and hits the counter to the arm to tie the bout at 3.
Tagliariol pushes Jeannet back to the 2m line and then pulls him back, launching a counter-attack that puts the Italian up 4-3. Jeannet presses the attack again and Tagliariol executes a ducking parry-riposte to lead by 2. The fencers push and pull and Tagliariol jumps into Jeannet, epee leading and lands the attack, 6-3. Jeannet presses and Tagliariol picks up a deep parry and somehow lands the riposte to go up to 7-3 as the period ends.
At the start of the second period, Tagliariol presses with an attack and scores on a counter-riposte to go up to 8-3. Jeannet responds by attacking and scores the next three touches. Sensing the timing on Jeannet’s attack, Tagliariol catches Jeannet with a riposte and follows it up with a counter-attack to lead 10-6 at the close of the second.
In the third, Jeannet is pressing again. He presses, then pulls Tagliariol back, but turns quickly into an attack and scores 7-10. He tries to set up the same action again, but Tagliariol is ready and commits to his attack, giving the Italian an 11-7 lead. Tagliariol tries to press his advanTagliariole with a quick fleche, but Jeannet is ready and the counterattack scores the point. They both come together on the next touch and Tagliariol puts the light on to go back up by 4: 12-8. Feeling the need to press the attack, Jeannet goes and is doubled out (13-9). As they both launch attacks, Tagliario’s light comes on. As the referee commands "Allez", Tagliario advances, sweeping his epee and catching Jeannet and ending with a flick to the arm which lands true and cuts Jeannet’s final upset bid short 15-9.
As Jeannet crouches at center strip, Matteo Tagliariol celebrates the first gold medal in 40 years for Italy in the individual men’s epee event.