USA and Russian Fencers for the Olympic Men's Individual Epee event During Athens 2004 Summer Olympics
This picture is from Wikipedia and .in public domain in the USA
Fencing is one of the oldest sport, it originated from the olden days dueling, a way for the ancient people used to spent their leisure and to recreate.
Fencing was also a way of settling dispute and at times fatality occurred like with the gladiators of the Colosseum.
Fencing can be traced back to the knights of yesterdays on top their horses wearing armors.
In the olden days fencing was a cruel sport as knights ended up injuring and even killing each other in the name of honor but as time passed lances were developed to ensure some levels of safety among the players.
Besides, the weapons were improved, making fencing safer to the competitors.
Still maintaining some of its medieval glamour including swords and armors, but with less drama and chivalry, it was carried out to the modern Day Summer Olympics and will feature in the August edition of the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.
Fencing has been part of modern Olympics since its inception in the year 1896 that was held Athens. In the Olympics, fencing competitor’s swordsmanship and other skills, women too participate in fencing just like the men.
The development of fencing can be attributed to the development of swordsmanship mostly in France, Great Britain, Germany and other European and Asian nations. With passage of time it spread to America. Parts of Asian nations like China, Japan, Korea and India too has contributed to fencing growth by sharing their great skills in swordsmanship.
In the olden days, even the fencing clubs that were recreation purpose, fencing was restricted to the aristocratic families and the general masses were exempted in many fencing activities unless they were spectators. Today, unlike in the olden days, when only gentlemen and knights participated in fencing, in today’s Olympics games anyone can participate as long as they have trained, qualified and have the necessary skills.
People participating in fencing must train intensively because one needs to be swift in mind as well as the feet and the hands. Besides one need to have strength and agility of arms and wrists
In the Rio Summer Olympics, Fencing will take place from the 6th of August to the 13th of August. The venue for the Fencing competition in the first edition of the 1896 Summer Olympics took place at the Zappeion; which is constructed between the Palace Gardens and the ancient Temple of Olympian Zeus. Zappeion was the first building constructed as a symbol of the revival Olympic Games.
Zappeion the venue for the 1896 Summer Olympics Games
In the first edition of the Summer Olympics of 1896 games there were only three events, all dedicated to men fencing. These three events were:
Individual foil
Master foil, which only two participants contested
Individual sabre
Over the years the sport has grown and in the coming Rio Olympics there will be more than 200 based in the 2012 London Summer Olympics which had 204 contestants. There were 10 events in the 2012 edition and in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics there 10 planned fencing sport events.
Currently, Summer Olympics Fencing is organized and regulated by International Fencing Federation; the 102 years old fencing federation in charge of regulating the sport in all Olympics games.
Women participation has grown to contesting in all events and in the Rio Games; there will be 106 women participants which is equal to men participants.
The Rio Olympics have scheduled the fencing events to take place in the Carioca Arena 3, this venue is part of the Olympic Training Center located in Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro
We are waiting to see if the last edition medalist will win more medals and whether Europe dominance in the sport will be broken.
