MANAMA, Bahrain -- Former members of the Wayne State University men's and women's fencing teams competed at the Veteran World Championships in Manama, Bahrain at the Isa Bin Rashid Hall.

Those that saw action were Jakub Krochmalski, Barbara Lax (Mehless), Michael Cho, and Inga Cho (Wallrabenstein).

Krochmalski, 2002 graduate, was in the Vet-40 section of men's sabre and earned a 4-2 ledger in pool play, while holding a +11 touch differential (27-16).  The WSU Hall of Famer was seeded 14th ahead of the direct-elimination stage, receiving a bye in the table of 64.  The four-time All-American fell 10-3 to Joseph Greene in the table of 32.

Barbara Lax (Mehless) went 2-3 during pool play in the Vet-60 women's foil, with 19 touches scored and 19 touches received.  Lax earned a bout victory in the table of 32, defeating Gillian Worman 10-4 before falling 10-3 to eventual runner-up Georgina Love.  In team competition, Lax totaled 12 touches scored in Germany's 44-41 loss to Hungary.

Michael Cho, who earned Honorable Mention All-American honors in 1993, competed in the Vet-50 men's foil and finished pool play with a 2-4 mark.  Cho nabbed a 10-7 victory over Mikito Tomiyama in the table of 64 before being bested 10-2 by Bertrand Beaurenault in his ensuing bout.

Inga Cho (Wallrabenstein), a 2003 graduate and three-time All-American, collected a 5-1 record during the pool portion of the Vet-40 women's foil, while posting a +12 touch differential (25-13).  Cho was the No. seven-seeded foilist entering direct elimination and earned a bye for the table of 64.  In the table of 32, the former Tartar topped Katja Burkhardt 10-5, followed by another 10-5 bout win over Svetlana Kalitina in the table of 16.  Cho was bested 10-3 in the table of eight by Julie Grassin, earning a sixth-place finish.  In Vet Team Women's Foil, Cho helped the United States to a 45-19 victory over Japan, winning each of her three bouts (4-1, 5-2, 5-2).  In the squad's 45-37 loss in the semifinals, Cho tallied nine touches scored.

In addition, sophomore epeeist Mahmoud Elsayed (Tanta, Gharbia, Egypt) received the International Fencing Federation (FIE) Junior world No. 1 ranking.


Head Coach Andy Tulleners (left) and Mahmoud Elsayed (right).