Singapore fencers could not produce their best form in Day One of the Fencing event of the SEA Games. Men’s Epee national number 1 Lim Wei Wen qualified for the quarterfinals but bowed out to Malaysia’s Koh I-Jie in a tense contest. Weiwen was unable to overcome his slow start and found himself in trailing positions throughout the match. He narrowed the Malaysian’s gap to 8-9 midway though the bout, but could not stage a comeback, finally losing 15-11. In the Women’s Sabre individual event, Nona Lim faced eventual gold medal winner Nguyen Le Thi Dung in the quarterfinals in a repeat of the 2007 SEA Games gold medal match. Nona lead in the early stages of the contest but could not capitalise on the advantage and eventually lost 15-12.

In earlier matches, Men’s Epee Samson Lee exited the competition with no wins out of 5 preliminary bouts. Sharing similar fortunes was Women’s Sabre fencer Ann Lee, who won only 1 out of 5 preliminary matches to exit the competition prematurely.

 

Lim Weiwen, silver medallist in the 2007 SEA Games was understandably disappointed with the outcome. He said “I was feeling confident and mentally I felt good going into the competition. Even though I did not do as well as I should in the preliminary rounds, I was very sure I could do much better in the elimination bouts.” “In my quarterfinals against Koh I-Jie, I did not expect him to employ a different strategy from the preliminary rounds and unfortunately I was unable to switch my tactics around quickly to counter him. Fencing Singapore general manager Ryan Quek added: “Though the results didn’t go our way today, I’m sure the fencers will pick themselves up for the team event in a few days time.”  “We are still hopeful on doing well in this SEA Games and the team together with the coaches will ensure they will be in their best condition to achieve our targets.

The SEA Games Fencing event will see close to 150 of the region’s best fencers doing battle in Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta over six days of heated competition. Fencing last featured at Korat, Thailand in 2007 and this year, the competition will see fencers from Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei and Singapore competing in 12 different events. Singapore will have 19 fencers competing in 11 events namely, Men’s Epee Individual and Team, Men’s Foil individual and team, Men’s Sabre individual, Women’s Epee individual and team, Women’s Foil individual and team and finally, Women’s Sabre individual and team. In Day 2 of the competition tomorrow, Men’s Foil representatives Tan Yuan Zi and Wu Jie as well as Women’s Epee fencers Ann Karin Melbye and Magdalene Huang will be flying the Republic’s flag in the individual events.