Beijing 2008

[Drunk Monk]

I don't have cable or satellite or anything beyond rabbit ears, but at midnight, Telemundo and MBC (a Korean broadcast) provides much more well rounded coverage. After midnight.

Thanks for the suggestion on Grambassi. Will do, but only digitally, again just to sound like a fencing know-it-all. Caught Gerek's article in the Chron this morning.

FENCING
Little Point In Feeling Bad
Janny Hu, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, August 14, 2008

(08-14) 04:00 PDT Beijing -- Gerek Meinhardt wasn't exactly dejected after his Olympics came to an end Tuesday night. In the past week, San Francisco's fencing prodigy has marched in Opening Ceremonies, gotten his picture taken with his favorite NBA stars and even made fencing history.

Not bad for someone who turned 18 just two weeks ago.

"It's been a little confusing, actually," Meinhardt said of his whirlwind experience. "I had to find a good medium with having fun and focusing for the event at the same time because it's hard.

"You just walk around, and it's really exciting."

As the youngest U.S. male athlete in Beijing - and the youngest fencer in U.S. Olympic history - Meinhardt at least roamed without any real weight on his shoulders.

He arrived on the Olympic stage about four years earlier than expected and was the lone American competing in men's individual foil, a discipline the U.S. hasn't medaled in since 1960.

Meinhardt said his goal was simply to make it to the round of 16, and he did so in dominating fashion. Ranked 13th in the world, the teenager beat Egypt's Mostafa Nagaty 15-3 in the opening bout before falling to China's Zhu Jun 15-9 at the Fencing Hall of the National Convention Center.

According to coach Greg Massialas, Meinhardt was at least four years younger than any other competitor in the field. And in a sport where athletes typically peak in their 30s, Meinhardt is already looking forward to what's ahead.

"I have a lot more years than these guys left, so there's no pressure on me," Meinhardt said. "The next Olympics is one where I'll have a little more pressure, because hopefully, I'll be a bigger contender for a medal. Right here, I'm just out having fun."

Meinhardt, who trains under the three-time Olympian Massialas at Halberstadt Fencers' Club in the Mission, had more than a dozen friends and relatives rooting him on in Beijing.

Though they couldn't compete with the thousands of Chinese fans in the stands, they were vocal enough for Meinhardt to hear through his massive, beekeeper-like helmet.

Meinhardt, who became the youngest national champion in history as a 16-year-old in 2007, will attend Notre Dame on a fencing scholarship this fall. There, he'll have memories of the Beijing Games to share with his classmates.

"Just the atmosphere and everything," Meinhardt said. "Hopefully I'll qualify for the next (Olympics). I'll be older, closer to the age of these guys, and, hopefully, I can bring better stuff and be stronger."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...01&sc=1000