The men's épée was a fencing event held as part of the fencing at the 1920 Summer Olympics programme. It was the fifth appearance of the event. A total of 80 fencers from 13 nations competed in the event, which was held from August 20 to 23, 1920. Each nation was limited to eight fencers, down from 12 in 1908 and 1912.[1] Of the six fencing events, the only one in which Nedo Nadi did not win a gold medal was the one in which he did not compete. Instead, a trio of Frenchmen (Armand Massard, Alexandre Lippmann, and Gustave Buchard) swept the medals. It was Lippmann's second silver medal in the event, he having previously taken second in 1908; he was the second man to win multiple medals in the individual épée.
| Men's épée at the Games of the VII Olympiad | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
_m%C3%A9daill%C3%A9s_de_bronze_olympique_%C3%A0_l%27%C3%A9p%C3%A9e_en_1920.jpg) French épéeists: silver medalist Alexandre Lippmann, bronze medalist Gustave Buchard, and gold medalist Armand Massard | ||||||||||
| Venue | Gardens de la Palace d'Egmont | |||||||||
| Dates | August 20–23 | |||||||||
| Competitors | 80 from 13 nations | |||||||||
| Medalists | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
Background
This was the fifth appearance of the event, which was not held at the first Games in 1896 (with only foil and sabre events held) but has been held at every Summer Olympics since 1900.[1]
Four of the eight finalists from the 1912 Games returned: silver medalist Ivan Joseph Martin Osiier of Denmark (who competed in seven Games from 1908 to 1948), fourth-place finisher Victor Boin of Belgium, seventh-place finisher Léon Tom of Belgium, and eighth-place finisher Martin Holt of Great Britain. The French and Italian teams, both of whom boycotted the 1912 Games over separate rules disputes, returned, including 1908 silver medalist Alexandre Lippmann.
Czechoslovakia and Egypt each made their debut in the event. Belgium, Great Britain, and the United States each appeared for the fourth time, tied for most among nations.
Competition format
The competition was held over four rounds. In each round, each pool held a round-robin, with bouts to 1 touch. Double-touches counted as touches against both fencers. Rather than hold separate barrages to separate fencers tied in the advancement spot (as had been done in 1908), the head-to-head results of bouts already fenced were used (as in 1912). The size of the pools was increased; where previously the maximum size of a pool was 8, now the final and semifinals consisted of 12 fencers each with the quarterfinals and first round pools also larger.[1]
- First round: 9 pools of between 8 and 10 fencers each. The 5 fencers in each pool with the fewest touches against advanced to the quarterfinals.
- Second round: 4 pools of 11 or 12 fencers each. The 6 fencers in each pool with the fewest touches against advanced to the semifinals.
- Semifinals: 2 pools of 12 fencers each. The 6 fencers in each pool with the fewest touches against advanced to the final.
- Final: 1 pool of 12 fencers.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Round |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, 20 August 1920 | 9:00 | Round 1 |
| Sunday, 22 August 1920 | 9:00 | Quarterfinals Semifinals |
| Monday, 23 August 1920 | 9:30 | Final |
Results
First round
Pool A
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Félix Goblet |  Belgium | 8 | 1 | Q |
| 2 | João Sassetti |  Portugal | 6 | 3 | Q |
| 3 | Roger Ducret |  France | 5 | 4 | Q |
| Gustaf Lindblom |  Sweden | 5 | 4 | Q | |
| 5 | S. Antonidas |  Greece | 4 | 5 | Q |
| 6 | John Blake |  Great Britain | 4 | 5 | |
| 7 | Willem Hubert |  Netherlands | 3 | 6 | |
| Ivan Osiier |  Denmark | 3 | 6 | ||
| Paolo Thaon |  Italy | 3 | 6 | ||
| 10 | Jan Černohorský |  Czechoslovakia | 1 | 8 |
Pool B
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan Van der Wiel | Netherlands | 5 | 2 | Q |
| 2 | António de Menezes | Portugal | 4 | 3 | Q |
| Evangelos Skotidas | Greece | 4 | 3 | Q | |
| Maurice de Wée | Belgium | 4 | 3 | Q | |
| 5 | Roland Willoughby | Great Britain | 3 | 4 | Q |
| 6 | Kay Schrøder | Denmark | 3 | 4 | |
| 7 | Frédéric Fitting |  Switzerland | 2 | 5 | |
| Bertil Uggla | Sweden | 2 | 5 |
Pool C
Olivier advanced to the final after Otto Baerentzen (5th in Pool I) withdrew.
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fernando Correia | Portugal | 5 | 2 | Q |
| Georges Trombert | France | 5 | 2 | Q | |
| 3 | Victor Boin | Belgium | 4 | 2 | Q |
| Einar Levison | Denmark | 4 | 2 | Q | |
| 5 | Wouter Brouwer | Netherlands | 3 | 3 | Q |
| 6 | Abelardo Olivier | Italy | 3 | 3 | q |
| 7 | John Dimond |  United States | 2 | 4 | |
| Hans Törnblom | Sweden | 2 | 4 |
Pool D
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frédéric Dubourdieu | France | 7 | 2 | Q |
| 2 | Poul Rasmussen | Denmark | 6 | 3 | Q |
| 3 | Edouard Fitting | Switzerland | 5 | 4 | Q |
| 4 | Ernest Gevers | Belgium | 4 | 5 | Q |
| 5 | Carl Gripenstedt | Sweden | 4 | 5 | Q |
| 6 | Frederico Paredes | Portugal | 4 | 5 | |
| 7 | Louis Delaunoij | Netherlands | 3 | 6 | |
| Raymond Dutcher | United States | 3 | 6 | ||
| Robert Montgomerie | Great Britain | 3 | 6 | ||
| 10 | Josef Javůrek | Czechoslovakia | 2 | 7 |
Pool E
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nils Hellsten | Sweden | 6 | 2 | Q |
| 2 | Ruimondo Mayer | Portugal | 5 | 3 | Q |
| 3 | Joseph de Craecker | Belgium | 4 | 4 | Q |
| Otakar Švorčík | Czechoslovakia | 4 | 4 | Q | |
| Alexandre Lippmann | France | 4 | 4 | Q | |
| 6 | Eugène Empeyta | Switzerland | 3 | 5 | |
| 7 | Martin Holt | Great Britain | 3 | 5 | |
| 8 | Georg Hegner | Denmark | 1 | 7 | |
| Vasilios Zarkadis | Greece | 1 | 7 |
Pool F
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gustave Buchard | France | 6 | 1 | Q |
| 2 | Tullio Bozza | Italy | 5 | 2 | Q |
| 3 | Henri Wijnoldij-Daniëls | Netherlands | 4 | 3 | Q |
| 4 | Aage Berntsen | Denmark | 3 | 4 | Q |
| William Russell | United States | 3 | 4 | Q | |
| 6 | Knut Enell | Sweden | 2 | 5 | |
| 7 | Léon Tom | Belgium | 2 | 5 | |
| 8 | George Burt | Great Britain | 1 | 6 |
Pool G
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henry Breckinridge | United States | 6 | 2 | Q |
| Charles Delporte | Belgium | 6 | 2 | Q | |
| Louis Moureau | France | 6 | 2 | Q | |
| 4 | Jorge de Paiva | Portugal | 5 | 3 | Q |
| 5 | Josef Jungmann | Czechoslovakia | 4 | 4 | Q |
| 6 | Aldo Boni | Italy | 3 | 5 | |
| 7 | Salomon Zeldenrust | Netherlands | 3 | 5 | |
| 8 | Charles Notley | Great Britain | 2 | 6 | |
| 9 | Einar Råberg | Sweden | 0 | 8 |
Pool H
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fernand de Montigny | Belgium | 7 | 1 | Q |
| 2 | Georges Casanova | France | 6 | 2 | Q |
| Adrianus de Jong | Netherlands | 6 | 2 | Q | |
| 4 | Henrique da Silveira | Portugal | 5 | 3 | Q |
| 5 | Giovanni Canova | Italy | 3 | 5 | Q |
| 6 | David Warholm | Sweden | 3 | 5 | |
| 7 | Ronald Bruce Campbell | Great Britain | 3 | 5 | |
| 8 | Henri Jacquet | Switzerland | 2 | 6 | |
| 9 | Viliam Tvrský | Czechoslovakia | 1 | 7 |
Pool I
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Armand Massard | France | 6 | 2 | Q |
| 2 | Ahmed Hassanein |  Egypt | 5 | 3 | Q |
| Dino Urbani | Italy | 5 | 3 | Q | |
| 4 | Robin Dalglish | Great Britain | 4 | 4 | Q |
| 5 | Otto Baerentzen | Denmark | 4 | 4 | Q, withdrew |
| 6 | Louis de Tribolet | Switzerland | 3 | 5 | |
| 7 | Manuel Queiróz | Portugal | 3 | 5 | |
| 8 | Félix Vigeveno | Netherlands | 2 | 6 | |
| 9 | Leonard Schoonmaker | United States | 0 | 8 |
Quarterfinals
Quarterfinal A
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georges Trombert | France | 8 | 2 | Q |
| 2 | Gustaf Lindblom | Sweden | 7 | 3 | Q |
| Jorge de Paiva | Portugal | 7 | 3 | Q | |
| 4 | Adrianus de Jong | Netherlands | 6 | 4 | Q |
| Louis Moureau | France | 6 | 4 | Q | |
| 6 | Charles Delporte | Belgium | 5 | 5 | Q |
| 7 | Tullio Bozza | Italy | 5 | 5 | |
| Joseph de Craecker | Belgium | 5 | 5 | ||
| 9 | Poul Rasmussen | Denmark | 4 | 6 | |
| 10 | Roland Willoughby | Great Britain | 2 | 8 | |
| 11 | Otakar Švorčík | Czechoslovakia | 1 | 9 |
Quarterfinal B
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abelardo Olivier | Italy | 7 | 3 | Q |
| 2 | Fernando Correia | Portugal | 6 | 4 | Q |
| Frédéric Dubourdieu | France | 6 | 4 | Q | |
| Armand Massard | France | 6 | 4 | Q | |
| 5 | Henry Breckenridge | United States | 5 | 3 | Q |
| Félix Goblet | Belgium | 5 | 3 | Q | |
| 7 | Ahmed Hassanein | Egypt | 4 | 6 | |
| Ruimondo Mayer | Portugal | 4 | 6 | ||
| Henri Wijnoldij-Daniëls | Netherlands | 4 | 6 | ||
| 10 | Carl Gripenstedt | Sweden | 3 | 7 | |
| 11 | Josef Jungmann | Czechoslovakia | 1 | 9 |
Quarterfinal C
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | João Sassetti | Portugal | 8 | 3 | Q |
| 2 | António de Menezes | Portugal | 7 | 4 | Q |
| 3 | Gustave Buchard | France | 6 | 5 | Q |
| Ernest Gevers | Belgium | 6 | 5 | Q | |
| William Russell | United States | 6 | 5 | Q | |
| Maurice de Wée | Belgium | 6 | 5 | Q | |
| 7 | Giovanni Canova | Italy | 5 | 6 | |
| Roger Ducret | France | 5 | 6 | ||
| Evangelos Skotidas | Greece | 5 | 6 | ||
| 10 | Aage Berntsen | Denmark | 4 | 7 | |
| 11 | S. Antonidas | Greece | 3 | 8 | |
| 12 | Jan Van der Wiel | Netherlands | 1 | 10 |
Quarterfinal D
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nils Hellsten | Sweden | 8 | 2 | Q |
| 2 | Alexandre Lippmann | France | 7 | 3 | Q |
| 3 | Georges Casanova | France | 6 | 4 | Q |
| Einar Levison | Denmark | 6 | 4 | Q | |
| Fernand de Montigny | Belgium | 6 | 4 | Q | |
| Dino Urbani | Italy | 6 | 4 | Q | |
| 7 | Henrique da Silveira | Portugal | 4 | 6 | |
| 8 | Victor Boin | Belgium | 3 | 7 | |
| Wouter Brouwer | Netherlands | 3 | 7 | ||
| Edouard Fitting | Switzerland | 3 | 7 | ||
| 11 | Robin Dalglish | Great Britain | 1 | 9 |
Semifinals
Semifinal A
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georges Casanova | France | 9 | 2 | Q |
| 2 | António de Menezes | Portugal | 7 | 4 | Q |
| 3 | Gustaf Lindblom | Sweden | 6 | 5 | Q |
| Armand Massard | France | 6 | 5 | Q | |
| 5 | Charles Delporte | Belgium | 4 | 7 | Q |
| Alexandre Lippmann | France | 4 | 7 | Q | |
| 7 | Frédéric Dubourdieu | France | 4 | 7 | |
| Fernand de Montigny | Belgium | 4 | 7 | ||
| Dino Urbani | Italy | 4 | 7 | ||
| 10 | Fernando Correia | Portugal | 2 | 9 | |
| William Russell | United States | 2 | 9 | ||
| 12 | Einar Levison | Denmark | 0 | 11 |
Semifinal B
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ernest Gevers | Belgium | 7 | 4 | Q |
| 2 | Gustave Buchard | France | 6 | 5 | Q |
| Félix Goblet | Belgium | 6 | 5 | Q | |
| Louis Moureau | France | 6 | 5 | Q | |
| Abelardo Olivier | Italy | 6 | 5 | Q | |
| Jorge de Paiva | Portugal | 6 | 5 | Q | |
| 7 | Georges Trombert | France | 6 | 5 | |
| 8 | Nils Hellsten | Sweden | 4 | 7 | |
| Adrianus de Jong | Netherlands | 4 | 7 | ||
| 10 | Henry Breckenridge | United States | 3 | 8 | |
| Maurice de Wée | Belgium | 3 | 8 | ||
| 12 | João Sassetti | Portugal | 2 | 9 |
Final
| Rank | Fencer | Nation | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Armand Massard | France | 9 | 2 |
 | Alexandre Lippmann | France | 7 | 4 |
 | Gustave Buchard | France | 6 | 5 |
| 4 | Ernest Gevers | Belgium | 6 | 5 |
| 5 | Georges Casanova | France | 5 | 6 |
| 6 | António de Menezes | Portugal | 5 | 6 |
| Louis Moureau | France | 5 | 6 | |
| Abelardo Olivier | Italy | 5 | 6 | |
| 9 | Gustaf Lindblom | Sweden | 4 | 7 |
| 10 | Charles Delporte | Belgium | 3 | 8 |
| Félix Goblet | Belgium | 3 | 8 | |
| 12 | Jorge de Paiva | Portugal | 2 | 9 |
Results summary
References
- Belgium Olympic Committee (1957). Olympic Games Antwerp 1920: Official Report (in French).
- Wudarski, Pawel (1999). "Wyniki Igrzysk Olimpijskich" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 16 February 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2007.