[闲聊]奥运金牌梦又破灭
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,不S了
MacKay's dream extinguished
Canada's top fencer loses heartbreaker in epee individual
Joanne Ireland
The Edmonton Journal Monday, August 16, 2004
ATHENS * Geordie MacKay saw her shoulders slump ever so slightly early in the bout.
It was a telltale sign all was not well with his wife -- and it should have been with all the training, all the anticipation, all the projecting that had come before this moment.
Canada's top fencer Sherraine MacKay, the woman who had won the last World Cup before the Olympic Games, the woman who came to Athens ranked eighth in the world, was expected to challenge for a medal in Athens. Instead, she lost a heartbreaker, 15-13 to Jeanne Hristou of Greece in her first go-around of the women's individual epee, an event that offers no second chances.
Competitors either win and move on or bow out with dashed dreams.
That is why MacKay told coach Daniel Levavasseur soon after that it was simply history repeating itself and that it was time to call it quits. She also lost in the opening round in Sydney.
Levavasseur spent several minutes with the native of Brooks, Alta., and convinced her not to pack it in.
"I gave it everything and didn't hold anything back in terms of my desire. I just didn't perform to how I would have liked," said MacKay, 29. "At 3-2, I made an error, then we tied and I just sort of locked up. I didn't have the dare and the courage to finish it.
"I'm pretty sad because I thought it could be something great. It's disappointing because you work for so many years and when it doesn't happen, you have to have the faith to look back to get the courage that you need to look forward."
Watching it all unfold yesterday was Geordie and his 67-year-old father, Sandy. The two had cycled from Paris to Athens -- in part because it was an adventure, in larger part because Geordie wanted to toil to get to Greece. Just like his wife did.
"Sherraine puts so much effort into her training. Her dedication to make it to Athens was incredible to me," the 28-year-old musician said of the 15-day, 2,209-kilometre journey.
"I guess I wanted to experience what it would be like and in a way show my support."
But MacKay knew early the match wasn't going to go his wife's way.
"I haven't talk to her yet, (but) after the Greek girl got up by two points, I saw the deflating of Sherraine's shoulders -- and I knew it was over. It was so painful," he said. "The only time I get to see her fence is at the big events, and for some reason whenever I'm there, she hasn't won."
Canada's other fencers, Catherine Dunnette and Monique Kavelaars, were knocked out in the early rounds. All three will take part in the team competition on Friday.
Canada's top fencer loses heartbreaker in epee individual
Joanne Ireland
The Edmonton Journal Monday, August 16, 2004
ATHENS * Geordie MacKay saw her shoulders slump ever so slightly early in the bout.
It was a telltale sign all was not well with his wife -- and it should have been with all the training, all the anticipation, all the projecting that had come before this moment.
Canada's top fencer Sherraine MacKay, the woman who had won the last World Cup before the Olympic Games, the woman who came to Athens ranked eighth in the world, was expected to challenge for a medal in Athens. Instead, she lost a heartbreaker, 15-13 to Jeanne Hristou of Greece in her first go-around of the women's individual epee, an event that offers no second chances.
Competitors either win and move on or bow out with dashed dreams.
That is why MacKay told coach Daniel Levavasseur soon after that it was simply history repeating itself and that it was time to call it quits. She also lost in the opening round in Sydney.
Levavasseur spent several minutes with the native of Brooks, Alta., and convinced her not to pack it in.
"I gave it everything and didn't hold anything back in terms of my desire. I just didn't perform to how I would have liked," said MacKay, 29. "At 3-2, I made an error, then we tied and I just sort of locked up. I didn't have the dare and the courage to finish it.
"I'm pretty sad because I thought it could be something great. It's disappointing because you work for so many years and when it doesn't happen, you have to have the faith to look back to get the courage that you need to look forward."
Watching it all unfold yesterday was Geordie and his 67-year-old father, Sandy. The two had cycled from Paris to Athens -- in part because it was an adventure, in larger part because Geordie wanted to toil to get to Greece. Just like his wife did.
"Sherraine puts so much effort into her training. Her dedication to make it to Athens was incredible to me," the 28-year-old musician said of the 15-day, 2,209-kilometre journey.
"I guess I wanted to experience what it would be like and in a way show my support."
But MacKay knew early the match wasn't going to go his wife's way.
"I haven't talk to her yet, (but) after the Greek girl got up by two points, I saw the deflating of Sherraine's shoulders -- and I knew it was over. It was so painful," he said. "The only time I get to see her fence is at the big events, and for some reason whenever I'm there, she hasn't won."
Canada's other fencers, Catherine Dunnette and Monique Kavelaars, were knocked out in the early rounds. All three will take part in the team competition on Friday.
