Timetable and Results for D.H.McKenzie (full results)

Melbourne held at the “Fencing Factory”

Friday March 28th, 2008, Mens Sabre – 12.30, Womens Sabre – 1.30, Mens Veteran Sabre & Womens Veteran Sabre – 4.30.

Saturday March 29th, 2008, Mens Epee 9.00, Womens Foil 10.45, Mens Veteran Foil 2.15, Womens Veteran Epee 2.30.

Sunday March 30, 2008, Mens Foil 8.45, Womens Epee 10.30, Mens Veteran Epee 2.00, Womens Veteran Foil 2.30.

Attached is DHMckenzie Program which may be of interest.

The naming of the D.H.McKenzie tournament was an important dedication to one of Australia’s best fencers.  The following article was printed on the program available at the competition.

David McKenzie (1936-1981)

David McKenzie was an exceptionally fine young fencer who represented the NSW Amateur Fencing Association in the period 1954 – 1966 as a member of the Swords Club, based in Sydney and coached by Professor Joan Beck.

David’s education included Parramatta High School and then the Faculty of Law at Sydney University to graduate with a degree ub Law (LLB).  He also represented the Sydney University Fencing Club, and in that capacity his interests focused on establishing fencing as an Australian Intervarsity Championship event.  The success of that initiative is confirmed by the number of University fencers who went on the represent Australia.

Apart from his State titles, his fencing career included two Australian Foil Championship titles (1957 and 1965), representing Australia in Foil  at the Olympic Games of 1956 (Melbourne), 1960 (Rome), and 1964 (Tokyo).  He also represented Australia in Foil at the British Empire & Commonwealth Games in Wales (Cardiff) in 1958 and in 1962 (Perth).  After the 1966 Jamaica (Kingston) Games, those Games were identified as the Commonwealth Games.

David’s success as a fencer is confirmed by being recognised as a perpetual finalist in Australian National Competitions.  His precise and technical ability as a fencer also prompted presidents of bouts to be very sure of their analysis of an action before awarding a hit.  A classic example was the highlight of a bout in New Zealand in which David’s speed and precision with a riposte clearly identified he had effectively parried two attacks but failed to impress the president who ruled that the attack was not parried.  On the next attack David parried, held the parry, looked at the president and then riposted to gain the hit and convince the president to understand the error of his judgement – all done very politely, which was indicative of David’s characteristic answer to a problem.

For those wh knew David as a friend, it was apparent in the late 1950s, that his ambitions included management opportunities and his success within Law provided the expertise and opportunity to become President of the NSW Amateur Fencing Association.  In 1963, with the election of Laurie Harding-Smith as President of the Australian Amater Fencing Federation, David was elected Executive Vice President of the AFF and the sport of fencing established an upgrade of its image as an Olympic sport.  His perception of progress for the sport extended to creating Australian Junior Championships which, apart from extending the sphere of fencing, also provided the opportunity to identify the talented fencers of the junior category.

David’s involvement in the administration of fencing extended from the late 1950’s to the mid 1970’s, during which time he also represented Fencing as a delegate at Australian Olympic Federation meetings.  His success in sport administration is identified by the following elections and appointments: 1968 Assistant Manager Olympic Team (Mexico), 1971 Vice President of the NSW Olymic Committee, 1973 elected to the executive of the Australian Olympic Federation, 1974 elected as AOF member of the International Olympic Council, 1980 AOF representative at Lake Placid Winter Olympics.

David was the legal advisor of the Australian Olympic Federation and his appointment to the IOC also included legal representation on behalf of the International Olympic Council .  His elevation through the administration of a minor Australian Olympic sport, such as fencing, the NSW Olympic Committee, the Australian Olympic Federation to the International Olympic Council represents an extraordinary achievement  for an Australian fencer.  David served with great distinction, and was directly involved in the negotiations that were critical in terms of world-wide concepts of the Olympic Games which were scheduled for Moscow in 1980.

David was personally involved in discussions with the Prime Minister of the day, Malcolm Fraser, whose government supported a boycott of the Moscow Games.  He also personally negotiated with President Jimmy Carter of the U.S.A.   It is more than appropriate to recognise that David’s influence extended to ensuring that Australia did particpate in the Moscow Games and that Australia is now identified with Greece as the only nations that have participated at every Olympic Games from 1896 in Athens to 2004, also in Athens.

David was an exceptional fencer, a sportsman with high level ethics and a tireless worker on behalf of Australian Fencing.  It is fitting that his work should be acknowledged and remembered by the annual Australian Tournament which bears his name.