Technical details
Fights take place on a 'piste' 1.8m wide by 14m long, which has various
boundary markings as well as a compound in the floor to neutralise the
electronic scoring if a weapon hits the floor.
There are three types of weapon: epee (heavy and rigid with a triangular
blade) foils (light and flexible with a rectangular blade) and sabre (similar to
the foil but able to cut with the blade as well as hit with the point).
All weapons are wired to record electronically when a hit is scored. In foil
and epee, hits can only be scored by the point of the weapon hitting the torso.
In sabre, the weapon's edge also scores and hits can be made to the arms and
head.
Fencers wear white, protective clothing, including a face guard. For foil and
sabre events, competitors also wear a metallic overjacket which conducts
electricity as part of the scoring system and is worn over the jacket, covering
the valid target area.
Spectators can see when a hit has been scored because a lamp lights up on the
scoring equipment.
Five facts
1) The use of swords dates back as far as the Bronze Age. In the Middle Ages
swords were heavy to combat the heavy armour worn in battles. As swords evolved
over the years they were used for close-quarter fighting and so became lighter
and swordsmen needed to become more skilful.
2) Fencing was one of the few sports to admit professionals to the Olympics before the 1980s. Baron Pierre de Coubertin (founder of the Olympic movement)
specifically stated that fencing professionals, called masters, could compete.
3) Fencing has been part of the modern Olympic Games since the outset in 1896,
with the women's event added in 1924.
4) In 1956 Gillian Sheen became the first and only Briton to win a gold medal
for fencing.
5) As well as gold in 1956, Great Britain has won nine silver medals through
the years.
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