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August 17, 2004 6:03 pm

Oregon fencer learns painful Olympic lesson

By MIKE PRATER

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece -- Cody Mattern and his U.S. fencing coach, Michael Marx, aren't big fans of Hungarian nemesis Ivan Kovacs.

Kovacs eliminated Marx from a previous Olympic tournament, and on Tuesday he was at it again, taking out Mattern in the men's individual epee at the Summer Games.

Mattern, from Tigard, Ore., tried to use his coach's defeat as motivation but lost control of the match in the second period, eventually suffering a 15-6 loss. Switzerland's Marcel Fischer won the gold medal.

``Kovacs is very difficult to attack. ... He's patient and he'll just sit there and wait for you, and his hands are so fast that he gets you with a last-second action,'' Mattern, 23, said.

``This was such a learning experience. Going into the prep area, to walking out here, being in the same room with these guys. It's absolutely unlike any other competition I've been to.''

Mattern said he also learned a valuable lesson when it comes to referees.Kovacs led 10-6 late in the second period when Mattern illegally poked his blade on the floor of the Helliniko Fencing Hall.

``We commonly do little things to make sure the blade has some curve in it,'' Mattern said.

Referee Peter Roth gave Mattern a red card and awarded Kovacs a point to make it 11-6, and Mattern never scored again as Kovacs ran off four consecutive touches in a quick third period.

``This is the Olympics, and the match should not be decided by someone poking the floor. It's ridiculous in my opinion that you'd even want to call that,'' Mattern said. ``It shouldn't be done unless it's some gross, unsportsmanlike conduct maneuver. It was a simple mistake.''

Mattern takes part in the men's team epee competition starting Sunday.

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