BUFFALO, N.Y., July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- 12-year-old Hannah Thompson
from Rochester of the Western Region rallied to win the scholastic women's
gold medal in the foil competition of fencing.  This was just one of many
highlights during the first full day of competition at the 19th annual
Empire State Games in Buffalo.
    Thompson came back against Jamie Beecher from Brentwood, Long Island
to win the gold medal duel, 15-14.  "For a little while when I was down,
7-0, I thought it was over, but I was able to come back," said Thompson.
Both Thompson and Beecher are lefties and Thompson said she hates fighting
lefties and hates fighting righties, but she loves fencing.
    Thompson, who has been fencing for four years, is coached by Susan
Jennings, who was the scholastic women's champion the last two years.
    It was an all-Long Island final in the men's scholastic foil
competition.  Brian Sirlin, another southpaw, from Mt. Sinai defeated
Massapequa Park's George Pavlou, Jr.  "It is an advantage (being
lefthanded) because righthanders aren't used to fencing lefthanders," said
Sirlin, making his first Empire State Games appearance.
    Other sports today resulted in some ESG records being broken.  In
taking gold in the 10-mile men's open cycling time trial, Sean Tompkins of
Syracuse broke the record by one one-hundredth of a second with his time
of 21 minutes, 2.27 seconds.  Also, Rochester's Maurice Jackson bested the
previous ESG record of 7.30 meters, set in 1986 by Joseph McDonald, when
he won gold in the men's scholastic long jump.  The new record is now at
7.35 meters.  Joy Ganes of Bayshore in Long Island defended her gold with
a high jump of 1.79 meters in the women's scholastic division.  Ganes
broke the previous ESG record of 1.78 meters, set in 1981.
    Sara Sartori of Dover Plains and Amy Di Micco of South Salem each
scored twice as Hudson Valley cruised by New York City, 9-0, in first-day
women's scholastic field hockey action.  One player that didn't break a
sweat was Hudson Valley goaltender Susan Weis, who didn't have to face a
shot, while watching her team put 18 shots against New York goalie
Shavonne Pegues.
    There are stories behind the competition -- behind the gold medals
that are won by the various athletes.  Cassandra Quackenbush of Liverpool
in the Central Region won the scholastic women's javelin throw.  "We were
doing it for a special person.  April Rushey's (from Syracuse, the silver
medalist in the event) brother died and we did it for him."
    Scholastic athletes are those either in high school or younger, while
athletes competing in open competition can be at any age.  There's also a
masters division.
    The New York Lottery is the primary sponsor of the 1996 Empire State
Games.  The games are a natural extension of the Lottery's educational
sponsorship, which last year raised more than
$1.5 billion in support of primary and secondary public schools throughout
New York.
    The schedule and updates of the events are available at the Empire
State Games World Wide Web Site (http://www.empiregames.org).