tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8781383461061929571.post5976378194136147405..comments2024-03-14T09:08:19.035-04:00Comments on OR in an OB World: The Olympic Fencing ControversyPaul A. Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05801891157261357482noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8781383461061929571.post-79119614032359033432012-08-03T16:00:32.984-04:002012-08-03T16:00:32.984-04:00Science and mathematics are not cool subjects, say...Science and mathematics are not cool subjects, say students. Consequently, if these subjects are <br /><br />compulsory, students opt for an easier stream in secondary school and are less likely to transition to <br /><br />university science programs.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04496135204850281997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8781383461061929571.post-69409188098247762012012-08-03T15:54:38.608-04:002012-08-03T15:54:38.608-04:00Science and mathematics are not cool subjects, say...Science and mathematics are not cool subjects, say students. Consequently, if these subjects are <br /><br />compulsory, students opt for an easier stream in secondary school and are less likely to transition to <br /><br />university science programs.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04496135204850281997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8781383461061929571.post-24905932492390068052012-08-02T14:10:11.288-04:002012-08-02T14:10:11.288-04:00Thanks! This view is pretty clear and shows the sc...Thanks! This view is pretty clear and shows the scoreboard and the referee. The woman who's voice you hear on the video makes a key observation: when they reset the clock to 0:01, it put a <i>full</i> second back. The two previous attacks by Heidemann could possibly not have totaled one second, but certainly there should be just a fraction of a second left. <br /><br />I think the full second is critical. Heidemann's two previous attempts (which resulted in double touches) were straight attacks. Her winning attack looked like a beat (or attempted beat) followed by a disengage. Her point went low and then came back up for the touch. That's slower than a straight lunge. I don't know if a straight lunge (or fleche) would have fit within the fraction of a second left after the two previous double touches, but the actual winning technique would have been harder pressed to fit in.<br /><br />Shin could have avoided this, though, had she not let herself get backed up. The shaded area she's standing in is a warning zone. If Shin crosses the back line with both feet, it is scored as a touch for Heidemann. Had Shin been aggressive enough to buy some real estate, she could have eaten up the last second with a controlled retreat.<br /><br />The video also illustrates something one commenter mentioned. At least once, it looks as if the fencers start with the weapons crossed, which I believe is too close. Proximity clearly benefits Heidemann in this situation. Once or twice during stoppages you can see the referee motioning the fencers to move apart. Shin needs to inch forward if possible to lessen the risk of stepping out; Heidemann wants to inch forward to get within range for a quick attack. Overall, I think Heidemann gained the advantage, although the final action seemed to start from an appropriate separation.<br /><br />It also looked to me that, on one of the double touches, Heidemann might have launched a little early. I'm guessing maybe that's a yellow card offense, but I'm not sure. When I fenced, I had the reaction time of a tortoise, so jumping too soon was not a problem for me. (I now have the reaction time of an arthritic tortoise.)Paul A. Rubinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05801891157261357482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8781383461061929571.post-33917932711472541252012-08-02T13:01:57.084-04:002012-08-02T13:01:57.084-04:00Another view from someone in the crowd
http://www....Another view from someone in the crowd<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7QENF5Uf7k&feature=relatedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8781383461061929571.post-26703529855148293922012-08-02T12:37:16.418-04:002012-08-02T12:37:16.418-04:00A very low quality recording of the German TV broa...A very low quality recording of the German TV broadcast/commentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I5YyYPo4tk [clock shows 0:00 at 3m02s - when another, this time: final, double touches happened; but: since the acoustic signal - indicating the duel's end - didn't raise, the referees set the clock back to 0:01]fbahrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07700546880744044750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8781383461061929571.post-9940040357128364182012-08-02T09:36:48.115-04:002012-08-02T09:36:48.115-04:00Christian,
Thanks for pointing out the spelling e...Christian,<br /><br />Thanks for pointing out the spelling error, which I have fixed. (I copied her name from a news report and pasted it in, and apparently I was insufficiently selective as to which report to use.)<br /><br />Your explanation about the integer domain for the time makes sense. Since you watched, did it seem to you that the two double touches and the final touch for Heidemann were all scored in under a second from the "allez" command? I know a touch can be scored quickly, but usually there's at least a little footwork and jockeying, and maybe an attempted parry/disengage involved. Three flurries that each last less than a second is possible but seems a bit unlikely (unless Shin stood flat-footed).Paul A. Rubinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05801891157261357482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8781383461061929571.post-84622918471184353842012-08-02T03:40:44.146-04:002012-08-02T03:40:44.146-04:00Hi Paul,
one minor correction: the name is Britta...Hi Paul,<br /><br />one minor correction: the name is Britta Hei*de*mann, see for example http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britta_Heidemann<br />I watched this live on german TV. <br />My takeaway was, that the clock counted only seconds (integer valued ones).<br />So if the time that passes is below a full second, the clock starts counting again at the same second. If this is the case, start counting seconds in doubles ;)Christiannoreply@blogger.com