BEIJING — Just the setup of fencing suggests you're watching among the most exquisite theater in all of sports. Its brightly lit "stage" - called the strip, or piste in French - in a darkened arena exudes a sense of drama.
And it was very much that in the women's team sabre gold-medal competition Thursday, in which chanting, flag-waving, stomping, cheering Chinese fans watched their team battle Ukraine in a gold-medal match that came down to the very last touch.
Ukraine won 45-44 in an emotionally draining affair that left the despondent Chinese huddled together, consoling each other. The United States was the top-seeded team and hoped to be part of this production. Alas, the Americans were just the opening act, having been upset in the semifinals by Ukraine.
Still, the United States' team of Mariel Zagunis, Sada Jacobson and Becca Ward came away with a bronze medal after the three of them had swept the individual medals in women's sabre on the opening day of the Olympics. They beat France 45-38 before the China-Ukraine showdown.
"We competed in two events and came home with two medals each," said Zagunis, who also won the individual sabre in the 2004 Olympics. "So what more could we ask for?
"Well, I wish it would have been two golds for me. But based on our individual results, there is a lot more pressure on us. I think we were feeling that today. We weren't really prepared for Ukraine, but we were ready for this match against France."
Zagunis said that between the semis and final, she slept.
"I usually don't take naps, but I felt that I wasn't really 'awake' (during the semis)," she said. "I felt like maybe if I could go to sleep, wake up and start over, it would work for me."
Like so many Olympics sports, fencing really can't expect to grab much attention in the United States except in these small windows at the Summer Games. But these three fencers capitalized on their brief exposure to the limelight with the medals sweep Saturday - President Bush, who really got around at theses Games, was in attendance - and getting another medal Thursday.
Technical advancements in the last few years have helped an arcane sport become a little more spectator-friendly, at least in terms of sabre.
The transparent mask, which got its Olympic introduction in sabre in 2004, helps give the fencers more of their individuality, at least for television. Viewers are no longer just looking at a face of wire mesh, but can see the competitors' eyes.
And wireless technology has removed the tethers from the sabre and foil competitors, although epee is still wired with all-mesh masks.
All said, sabre is at the - we just have to say this - cutting edge of technology and the sport in its entirety is headed that way.
"All the advances they've made are really positive for our sport," Zagunis said. "With the wireless and the lights in the mask, it makes it a lot cooler to watch. And to be able to see people's expressions when the camera is on them makes it more interesting.
"And on television, they're able to show it in slow motion, which also helps because it moves so fast when it's in real time. They can see the action a lot better."
The American women have become a powerhouse in sabre. But Jacobson, who won individual bronze in 2004, is headed to law school at Michigan and says she's done with competition. Zagunis isn't sure yet about coming back for the London Games, and neither is Ward, who is just 18 and will enter Duke in a month.
Jacobson admitted it was difficult emotionally to get past the losing in the semifinals, because she really believed the Americans would win the gold.
"I thought this was our absolute best shot to get it; our team has never been stronger," she said. "We had an incredible season, and to not fence up to our potential was so disappointing to me.
"But I know that a lot of people back home are paying more attention, watching TV and getting on the Internet looking for updates. Even at the crazy hours that this is happening back home. And that's really a good thing for the future of fencing in this country."