I never thought I would go home with a stack of used tickets from this Olympic Games. We were told numerous times that all tickets were sold out as soon as we arrived in Beijing. Thousands of people had waited in line for almost two days in hot, humid weather to buy their tickets. The Games are officially over and I can gladly say that I have seen about eight or nine different events, including a large amount of America’s new favorite sport, fencing. The most significant event I witnessed was probably Usain Bolt winning the one hundred meter final and crushing his own world record.

But now the 2008 Olympic Games are over and the Olympic Green is back to looking like a ghost town. Venues are empty, stores are closed, and the torch is out until the Paralympic Games begin on September, 6^th.

Working for the Olympic News Service helped me realize a few different things. First, I discovered that journalists are actually a different breed. They will do anything and everything to get the information that they need, and for the most part, they will step on anyone in their way. I had been told this before but you cannot actually understand this until you have been in the mixed zone or in the press tribunes with some of the Italian journalists. Another thing I learned is that majority of the time being prepared to interview an athlete is less important than just thinking on your feet and allowing the athlete to verbalize what they are thinking. Both of these things could probably be said in a classroom numerous times but not truly understood until you are in this environment. I also realized I made the right decision in staying away from studying journalism as my major. 

Back to the States in two days.

So fencing officially wrapped up on Sunday night. You know even after working that many consecutive long days I am a little bummed that it is over. It was amazing to see the sport up close and personal. I think that one of the most amazing things for me was the chance we got to be so close to the athletes. There were not usually hoards of journalists crowding the mixed zone and as far as some countries were concerned I was getting one-on-one interview time. It was amazing to actually make some connections with these people. I mean, they are just people. I had a long talk with Mariel Zagunis and when we ran into her last night she actually remembered me and said hi. Where else would I have gotten an experience like that.

So we all ran into Michael Phelps last night. I must say it was a pretty interesting experience. He wasn't as tall as I was expecting him to be but his hands and feet are so large its pretty intimidatinig (I guess 8 golds are as well but he didn't have those on). It is unbelievable to think of myself here with some of the world's most prominent people. Standing in the same place as them. It is truly an unbelievable experience.

With just a week left to go in this trip I can honestly say that I am a little sad to be leaving. I have really enjoyed the people I have met, the friendships I have made and the new world I have been able to explore. One more week, so I might as well make the best of it.

    So my work as a fencing flash quote reporter has ended.  It really just hit me today that all the preparation, hard work, and interviews all came to an end in a flash (no pun intended).  In a week and a half I will return to Ithaca College to begin another year so before I hop on a plane for a 13 hour flight I want to briefly reflect on my past few weeks and my current view on the sport of fencing. 

    Since starting as a flash quoter I have developed an immense amount of respect for the sport of fencing.  Coming into it I thought it was just going to be a bunch of country club guys hitting each other with swords.  It didn’t sound too exciting but I must say that I was entirely wrong in that assumption. These fencers are not only outstanding athletes, but their personalities range from down to earth and polite to over confident and sometimes belligerent.  I can let the holes in the walls all over the mixed zone speak for the latter.

    The fans are what they would be in any sport.  They get dressed up in their countries colors, wave flags, and sing songs and chants during the matches.  It really does get very exciting and extremely loud in the Fencing Hall, especially when Chinese fencers are out on the piste.  As a flash quote reporter I must remain impartial to any one countries’ fencers so my questions for each fencer can be fair and unbiased.  This standard of professionalism had me resisting the urge to chant “U-S-A” with the US fans in each bout, even though I would have loved to support my countries fencers who impressively won 6 medals and were tied with the powerhouse Italians on the fencing medal count.

      Being a flash quoter has also given me an understanding of journalism even though we weren’t the ones writing articles.  After talking to many of the journalist in the mixed zone, and seeing how my quotes were used in articles and daily event reviews, I now better understand the process.  After all, getting the quotes to use in your article is half the battle.

      Now that fencing has ended I have a little bit of time to myself.  I can sleep more than 5 hours a night and say goodbye to those long 17 hour days.  It is kind of bittersweet and I am really glad I was able to have such a great experience. Maybe I will be working for LOCOG (London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games) in 2012, who knows?

Fencing. Who knew?

Have hardly had a free second over the last week to blog but it’s been one of the better weeks of my life. First off, there was the Opening Ceremonies. I could write 10 pages on the night but it would largely consist of superlatives, mainly the words ‘unbelievable’ and ‘incredible’. But the unexpected treat of the week has been the fact that Fencing is actually pretty damn fun to watch once you understand it.

This is probably true about Cricket, Equestrian and Field Hockey as well, but the drama of Fencing is unparalleled in dare I say, any sport?

Tied at 14-14, Becca Ward wearily eyed her opponent. The next lightning-quick strike of the sword meaning the difference between flying home with a medal around your neck or the weight of failure on your shoulders. The room was dark except for the narrow, dramatically lit piste in a room full of 4,000 faceless spectators waiting to explode at the sound of blade on flesh...

Ok, it doesn’t actually hit the flesh, but I hope that was at least somewhat more interesting than reading about a pre-season NFL game. I don’t see myself looking up Fencing box scores a year from now, but I think we’ve all very much enjoyed covering it so far.

Oh, and Becca won 15-14. She went nuts. It was pretty darn cool.

Two days into competition fencing and I am hooked! And how can you not be after seeing three American women sweep the podium in Saturday's Women's Individual Sabre competition?! It's the first time any country of either sex has swept the podium in any weapon. It was unbelievable the speed and grace with which these women compete. And seeing President George H.W. Bush wasn't all that bad either. 

I have learned so much about fencing in the last six months it is astounding. I have actually been able to help several American journalists in both the press tribunes and mixed zones. It doesn't seem like many of the American journalists are fencing experts.

I got a chance to interview Team USA Women's Foil coach Mike Pederson yesterday and it has definitly been the highlight of the fencing hall as of yet. Not only was he more than willing to talk with me he was also extremely excited to share his knowledge and expectations for the sport. I know he is not the only one hoping that fencing will begin to catch on in America. And a sweep like we saw Saturday night is just the answer they have all been looking for.

I have been able to speak with so many world class athletes it makes my head spin. I honestly cannot believe I am here at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. What an opportunity! All the hard work, training, flying, and jet lag has paid off. Watching the Opening Ceremonies the other night we all just kept repeating how shocked we were that are here. I am really happy to be able to enjoy this experience here in Beijing this summer and I am looking forward to more fencing and more fun.

~Jules~