Nov. 5, 2010
PARIS, France – Three University of Notre Dame fencers have advanced to direct elimination round at the 2010 FIE World Championships in Paris. Gerek Meinhardt (men’s foil), Courtney Hurley (women’s epee) and Ewa Nelip (women’s epee) qualified in the top 64, earning a spot in the elimination rounds.
Meinhardt advanced directly into the table, based on world ranking, as the pool’s 14th overall seeded foilist.
Hurley and Nelip, meanwhile, qualified into the women’s epee tournament through pool play. Hurley earned entrance as the table’s 61st seed after posting a 2-3 record with a zero indicator (touches scored minus touches received). Nelip enters as the 38th seeded fencer after recording a 4-1 pool play record with a +3 indicator. If both win their opening round match, the two will square off in the Round of 32.
Beatriz Almeida (women’s sabre) also competed at the World Championships but failed to advance past pool play, concluding her tournament in 91st place (out of 110 competitors).
Former Irish fencers Mariel Zagunis (women’s sabre) and Kelley Hurley (women’s epee) also advanced into elimination play, with Zagunis holding the No. 1 seed in the sabre and Hurley holding onto the 48th seed in the epee.
Ozren Debic (men’s foil and epee) also represented former Irish fencers at the World Championships, finishing outside the top 64 in both events as he concluded in 133rd (out of 190) in the epee and 123rd (out of 147) in the foil.
Direct elimination rounds get underway on Saturday with both men’s and women’s sabre taking to the strip. Men’s and women’s foil will follow on Sunday with men’s and women’s epee wrapping up individual competition on Monday.
Check back with und.com for recaps of the action as the Irish hope to claim gold at the 2010 FIE World Championships.
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