Explainer | Paris Olympics 2024: what to know and who to watch during the fencing competition
- Hong Kong and China fencers are among those defending their titles, while Hungary’s Aron Szilagyi is aiming for a fourth straight sabre gold
The fencing competition at the Paris Olympics gets under way early, and aside from Hongkongers Cheung Ka-long and Vivian Kong, there are several other big names to keep an eye out for.
Here’s our guide on who to watch and what to know ahead of the competition starting on Saturday.
Athletes to watch
Olga Kharlan (Ukraine): One of her country’s best hopes for Olympic success against the backdrop of war, Kharlan had a unique route to the Paris Games. Kharlan was drawn against Russian fencer Anna Smirnova at last year’s world championships. Smirnova protested after Kharlan refused to shake her hand, and the Ukrainian was disqualified. The International Olympic Committee awarded Kharlan a spot in Paris anyway.
Lee Kiefer and Gerek Meinhardt (United States): Kiefer is the reigning women’s foil gold medallist, Meinhardt a two-time bronze medallist in men’s team foil, and together they are fencing’s power couple. Married since 2019, Kiefer and Meinhardt both put medical school at the University of Kentucky on hold to train for the Olympics but will go back next year.
Aron Szilagyi (Hungary): On one of the greatest runs in Olympic history, Szilagyi is aiming for a record fourth title in men’s sabre after winning the gold medal at the London, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Olympics. Szilagyi has not lost an individual bout at the Olympics since Beijing 2008.
Storylines to follow
Medal shake-up Russian fencers won three gold medals in Tokyo but did not qualify any athletes for Paris. That could shake up the medal table. Top Russian fencers, including sabre gold medallist Sofia Pozdniakova, were blocked from qualifying events under International Olympic Committee rules because they serve in the Russian military. Other Russians competed in some qualifiers but were not successful.
