With each masterful stroke of her sabre sword, Sada Jacobson gets closer and closer to possibly winning a gold medal at the Olympic games in Athens. Jacobson, from Dunwoody, Georgia, won her first senior World Cup title last month at the Gran Prix competition held in New York City. Her win earned her the distinction of being only the second American fencer and the first female fencer to be ranked number one in the world. Just one week after collecting gold medals in the individual and team events in New York, she picked up her second World Cup title, this time in Cuba. Since both events served as Olympic qualifiers, Jacobson has an excellent shot at competing at the Athens Games where women's sabre will be making its Olympic debut. With such high aspirations, it's no wonder Jacobson took some time off from her studies at Yale to train fulltime. Jacobson isn't the only athlete in her family aiming for the 2004 Games. Her younger sister, Emily, 17, is also a member of the gold-medal winning sabre team.
Jacobson may be training non-stop for the upcoming World Championships, but she still took a moment to share her thoughts on her recent wins, her chilling trip to Russia, and her favorite Hollywood swashbuckling scene.
Q1: How does it feel to be the number one women's saber fencer in the world?
SADA JACOBSON: It feels pretty cool. The last two World Cups have really boosted my confidence a lot. That's going to make a big difference going into World Championships in the fall. I feel like I can really compete against the strongest women in the world now.
Q2: What do you attribute your success to?
SADA JACOBSON: First and foremost, my coach, Arkady Burdan. In fencing, natural talent and hard work can only get you so far. You have to have a great coach to help you realize your full potential. I also credit my family. Both my parents and my sisters fence competitively, so they are my number one support system. Emily has been on several national teams with me, so we're really able to push each other.
Q3: Which World Cup win meant more to you?
SADA JACOBSON: The New York World Cup was absolutely amazing. It was a huge honor to hear my national anthem playing in my own country. I got to fence in front of my family and friends, which was great motivation. The finals' venue at Grand Central Terminal was pretty spectacular. Typically, fencing competitions don't get such huge crowds.
Q4: Which country was the most exciting to visit this season?
SADA JACOBSON: Our trip to Russia in December was one of my favorites. I'm interested in Russian history and this was one of the rare trips on which we actually got to do some sightseeing. Plus, I've never been so cold in my life. Moscow in December is a real experience, though.
Q5: What motivates you to continue fencing?
SADA JACOBSON: Even though there are ups and downs in any career, my love for the game keeps me coming back. There is always something new to learn. As you improve technically, the ever-complicating strategies that you are capable of make the game much more interesting. Fencing has also allowed me to make friends with people I never would have known otherwise. I'd never be able to give that up.
Q6: Which sport would you be playing if you weren't fencing?
SADA JACOBSON: I swam in high school for two years. If I hadn't started fencing, I know that I would have pursued swimming throughout high school and possibly in college as well.
Q7: What are your goals for the upcoming Pan American Games?
SADA JACOBSON: This isn't an Olympic qualifier, so it's mostly for fun, but I think that the whole American team has a great chance of bringing back medals. The Women's Saber Squad is going to be particularly strong.
Q8: What would it mean to you to bring home the gold in Athens?
SADA JACOBSON: It would be indescribable. Before I started fencing, I would never have pictured myself as a potential Olympian. Making the team would be an honor in and of itself.
Q9: How do you treat yourself after a big win?
SADA JACOBSON: Fencing competitions tend to run for a long time. There can be hour-long gaps between rounds. The better your result the longer you're competing throughout the day. So generally, if I do well, I like to have dinner, take some Advil and go to bed.
Q10: What's your favorite sword-fighting scene in a movie?
SADA JACOBSON: Definitely the fight between Cary Elwes and Mandy Patinkin in The Princess Bride. Patinkin actually took fencing lessons for several weeks before filming the scene. It shows.
