Mark Peros: Diary of a Fencer

Sunday, October 14, 2007

St. Petersburg, Russia.



































































Finally recovering from a week of jet lag.....which I hardly ever get. An eight hours time difference is stranger then it seems especially when I didn't really sleep while I was away. Russia hosting this years World Championships was pretty ironic, as we found out a couple of days into the event. There is a Russian political figure named Usmanov who's vying to become the President of the International Fencing Federation, a position that is one of the most powerful in European sport history and typically goes to a French man. Usmanov, once a jailed criminal, now a billionaire in the Mafia was out to win votes this Championships. He paid the entree fees for every athlete, individual and team, invited the President of each Federation (ours being Canada) to stay for free in a hotel he owned as well as offering $50,000.00 US to any Country who would vote for him in the next election. A hard offer to pass up by no means, but also difficult to swallow when everyone knows its 'dirty' money. The venue was staged in a massive arena on the outskirts of the city that by my guess could hold nearly 150 thousand easily. The organization of the event was perfect and timed down to the minute. They would post what time your match was the following day and it would happen, no delays. The funniest was seeing a bus load of old cleaning ladies milling around every morning at 7am...and honestly, not a speck of dirt in site. I've taken some shots above that are of the venue and the different sections.....preliminary rounds, elimination rounds and finals. I hope they're clear enough to make out.
St. Petersburg in general was a pretty city, at least for the downtown area. There were two host hotels for the athletes a block apart. One for the richer countries who spoil their athletes and one for the countries who don't have any money, such as Canada. Our rooms where no bigger than a shed with one outlet, three channels on the tube and water that never turned clear. My efforts to make a reasonably priced phone call home were cut short when I had to buy a local phone-card to be able to use my international phone-card to connect to Canada Direct. This of course didn't happen and I was only able to use a direct line from the hotel which I won't tell you how much it set me back!!! Internet was only accessible from a cafe down the street that had 2 computers on hand, no one took Credit Cards for anything unless you were in the rich area of town and taxi's were just regular people with Lada's who wanted to make a quick buck.
But there were some nice things along the way too....like the huge park we ran in every morning that housed a lake and swans....and the Hermitage Museum, one of the most famous in the world, was a buzz in its own. We walked for four hours through it and still didn't manage to see it all. There are some photo's of it above. Now that's real history.
As for fencing.....well, flat out we didn't qualify. As you know our direct competition is with the US. At first we were hoping to beat them, but after the Pan-Am's it was figured that they had an opportunity to place in the Top 4 in Russia which would automatically qualify them for the Beijing....(I know its hard to follow)....which would allow another team from our Zone to go as well. So we were routing for them to win. It was the most intense moment I've had in a long time when they were tied 43-43 with Germany.....but then the bubble burst when Tim Morehouse of the US couldn't deliver the last two points and they lost 45-43. Damn-it!!!
So in the overall world standings Canada is placed 11Th and the US is 10Th, so they are awarded the Zonal position for Beijing.
Individually, I worked at 110% the whole time and pulled out a 64Th place win. My first ever World Championships and the best result I've made all season.....I impressed all.
You can see me in three photo's above fencing, of course Stanislov Pozniakov World Champion and winner in St. Petersburg. A legend in Russia and the fencing world.....but he had to go through me first. I gave him a solid run for his money losing 15-8 but I had the best time of my life during that bout, up to now nothing has felt better.
So where does that leave me? Its been a year and three months that I've devoted to this sport at a full time serious level and without a doubt its been the best experience of my life so far. The travel, the learning, the people I've met and become friends with and the level of sport that I didn't think was possible by training alone in a small warehouse space in Toronto. It all has made me believe in myself 10 times over. So I have decided to continue on and focus on the individual aspect of fencing. I've come so far in the past year I can't help but be curious at where I can be this time next year? So from now, and two weeks off for rest, I'll take it year by year and see what happens so stayed tuned for more.
Some people are just born to be......
Later











5 Comments:

Blogger Justin Medved said...

Awesome!!

We were all rooting for you from Bangkok.

Katie , Justin and now Emma!

Buckets ;)

See you at xmas

and WELL DONE!!

7:36 AM  
Blogger Brendan said...

P-dot,

It's been great keeping up with your adventures. Seeing how far you've come is truly inspirational. I can't wait to see how next season goes. Congratulations!
B

11:46 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Yea Peros!

You clearly have the passion, keep up the training and the narrow the focus - you own the sabre!

DJY

3:32 PM  
Blogger Neill Brown said...

Sounds like Tim Morehouse needs to spend 'more' time training, and less time in the 'house'.

Well done buddy - an amazing feat to achieve. The stadium looks brilliant, and so proud you took center stage.

NjB

6:12 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Nice one Peros! Congrats on an amazing 15 months. Here's to seeing what happens come the next 15. Go get 'em.

Si

9:18 AM  

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