my timesThe Korea Times
  1. Sports

'Stab at the speed of light' (Photos)

Listen
  • Published KST
  • Updated KST

Bogdan Nikishin, left, and Jiao Yuniong from China, competes in the men's epee individual fencing event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. / AP-Yonhap

By Park Si-soo

Nothing is more important than speed in fencing, so much so that one second is long enough to score, turning leader into follower, and vice versa.

At the London Olympics four years ago, South Korean epee fencer Shin A-lam had a tearful come-from-behind defeat at the hands of Germany’s Britta Heidemann in the semifinals by allowing a critical score just a second before the finishing bell ― although the score later turned out to be a timekeeping error.

“Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee,” said legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, boasting his quick punches and steps in the ring. In fencing, however, moving at the speed of a butterfly or bee would be too slow. Perhaps it would be more encouraging to say to athletes: “Stab at the speed of light!”

Alexander Choupenitch from Chezh, right, and Alaaeldin Abouelkassem from Egypt, competes in the Men's Individual Foil Fencing at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016. / AP-Yonhap

Alexander Massialas of the United States, right, and Mohamed Essam of Egypt compete in the men's individual foil fencing event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016. / AP-Yonhap

Alexander Massialas of the United States celebrates after defeating Giorgio Avola in a men's individual foil fencing quarterfinal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016. / AP-Yonhap

Chen Haiwei from China, right, and Timor Safin from Russia, competes in the men's individual foil fencing event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016. / AP-Yonhap

Switzerland's Benjamin Steffen (L) competes against US Jason Pryor during their men? individual epee qualifying bout as part of the fencing event of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, on August 9, 2016, at the Carioca Arena 3, in Rio de Janeiro. / AFP-Yonhap

Miles Chamley Watson of the United States competes with Artur Akhmatkhuzin of Russia in the men's individual foil fencing event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016. / AP-Yonhap

Andrea Avola of Italy celebrates after defeating Peter Joppich of Germany in the men's individual foil fencing event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016. / AP-Yonhap

Park Sangyoung from South Korea celebrate after defeated Geza Imre from Hungary in the men's epee individual fencing event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. / AP-Yonhap

Park Sangyoung from South Korea, left, and Benjamin Steffen from Switzerland, compete in the men's epee individual fencing event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016. / AP-Yonhap

Richard Kruse of Great Britain competes with Alexander Massialas of the United States in a men's individual foil fencing semifinal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016. / AP-Yonhap

Gerek Meinhardt (L) of the USA in action against Erwan Le Pechoux (R) of France during the men's Foil individual round of 16 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Fencing events at the Carioca Arena 3 in the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 07 August 2016. / EPA-Yonhap