After a slow start, Wayil (seen here resplendent in denim-look lame) came through the two rounds of poules pretty well, winning six from eleven, to seed him 24th. In the incomplete last 64 he nearly threw away his good work with an over aggressive display, finding himself 11-8 down at one point. However after some sage calming advice from skipper Paul at the interval, he changed tactics, took a more defensive approach and turned the bout around to earn a last 32 place. Here he faced the Italian Allessandro Macchiarola, a deft flicker and conceded the first five points without reply. Wayil then once more cannily changed tactics, attacking with repeated fleches. He had marginally the better of the remainder of the bout, but that initially deficit was too much to make up and Wayil went down to an honourable 15-11 defeat. This gave him 24th place overall, his first to half finish in an Open.