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Epee athlete Nelli Differt’s Olympic debut got off to a chaotic start when her mask failed weapons inspection in Paris because of ill-fitting rivets. However, Differt said the competition was not in jeopardy.
DeFort and his trainer Helen Nellis-Naucas were assisted in Paris by Kaido Caberma, who was initially asked to help out as a gunsmith, but was then also made captain, and his help was immediately put to use. “We’ve had a lot of trouble with weapons throughout the season, so we decided we needed a gunsmith with us so we didn’t have to waste time. And since Kaido is free, he can come with us,” Nellis-Naucas explained. “He’s got the badge now that he’s our captain. He’s not just a weapons master, he helps us with everything. Today something really bad happened. Nellie’s mask didn’t pass the weapons inspection. If we didn’t have Kaido with us, I don’t know what we would have done.”
“We ordered a new mask from the manufacturing company, and I don’t know if it will be made here. There are rivets on the side of the mask, and they said they have to all be curved, but two of the pieces are sharp. Nellie was told you can’t swing it,” Nokas continued. “But luckily Kaido has everything, and he went and took those rivets out and replaced them with round rivets. We don’t know yet if he will succeed. But the guy in Estonia who sells the Hungarian masks we use for fencing contacted the International Fencing Federation and said there are 30 fencers at the Olympics wearing the same mask, and I don’t know how that will turn out.”
According to DeFort, the mask has been in use for about a month. “I got it at gun control and they said it was a problem. I never knew there was such a problem,” DeFort admitted. “Sometimes with masks, after they take the glue off, they tell me to put some glue in there. But they say, yeah, the rivets are not right. I said they were put there by the manufacturer and asked what I could do. They said to fix the problem, but in my opinion, we were the first to do arms control, and the Chinese and Koreans have a lot of problems too.”
When asked if the tournament would be put in jeopardy because of this, DeFort responded: “No, absolutely not. There is always a solution. I believe Kaido will repair the mask and we will get it through the weapons inspection. If we can’t, then we will think about it.”
Devert said he couldn’t tell whether the rivets were round or pointed. “No one knows,” he mused. “I don’t even know if the rules say that.”
“I read the rules, and they don’t say the rivets have to be round. That’s their own invention,” Nellis-Norcas said.
“But I think there’s no reason to panic,” Devert added.
In addition, Devert accepted the congratulations of reporters at the press conference. Just three days before participating in the women’s individual epee competition, Devert grew another year older.
“This is definitely a more special birthday than all the previous ones because I can celebrate my birthday at such a special sports event. The day was very busy: we worked out in the morning, then went to the Grand Palais (the venue where the competition was held) for the fencing competition, the exhibition halls and museums built for the 1900 Paris World Exhibition, where we were taken around and learned about the whole organization of the competition, then we ran to eat and now I’m here,” Divert said with a smile in front of Estonian journalists.
“It was more anticipation than nervousness. There was a lot of pride in the stadium we went to today. You could see they (the French editors) put a lot of effort in. And the atmosphere there is completely different to other stadiums. It’s said that there are 7,000 seats in the stands, I think it’s more like you want to hang out at the track.”
What does coach Helen Nellis-Naucas think about the circle of medal contenders? “We discussed this topic today. Kaido (Kaaberma – Divert’s weapons master at the Paris Olympics) was also with us. Kaido said there were 16 favorites, but we said all. Fencing is really an unpredictable field. We can win, but it doesn’t matter who wins, and that’s why I like this field, that’s why it’s interesting,” thought Nellis-Naucas.
At the press conference, athletes and coaches were also asked if medals were talked about when discussing the Paris Olympics. “A year ago, Nelly said she wanted gold,” Nelis-Nokkas opened one of the most heated exchanges at the afternoon session. Divert’s witty reply made the Estonian group laugh. “I only wear gold – I’m allergic to other metals. In my ears and belly button,” the 34-year-old Olympian admitted with a smile. “And it’s his birthday today, so I only gave him gold things, too,” the coach ended the conversation.
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