Local Fencer Does Not Advance in Preliminaries at Olympics

San Diego fencer Soren Thompson's participation in the London Olympics lasted for one bout, a 15-4 loss to Jorg Fiedler of Germany in a round of 32 men's individual epee bout today at ExCeL London.   

Thompson trailed 3-2 at the end of the first three-minute period. Fiedler scored each of the final six hits of the second period to increase his lead to 10-3.   

Fiedler scored the first two hits of the third and final period. Thompson scored a hit to end the streak, but Fiedler scored three more to end the match.   

The bouts last for three three-minute periods or until one fencer has scored 15 hits against his opponent.   

The epee is a thrusting sword descended from the dueling sword. Hits are scored by hitting an opponent with the tip of the weapon. Both fencers can score at the same time.   

Thompson is 14th in the rankings compiled by FIE, fencing's worldwide governing body, 12 spots higher than Fiedler.   

Thompson finished seventh in the event in the 2004 Olympics, including upsetting the world's second-ranked epee fencer, Alfredo Rota of Italy, and helped the U.S. to a sixth-place finish in the team competition, which is not being held in this Olympics.   

Born on May 5, 1981, in San Diego, Thompson started fencing when he was 7 years old and participated in a recreational class conducted by UC San Diego. He graduated from Torrey Pines High School in 1999, and then went to Princeton University, where he was a three-time All-American.

–City News Service