The fencing event is as old as the modern Games itself, one of four sports to have survived since Athens in 1896, when it consisted of men’s foil and sabre. Epée was added four years later, and as long ago as 1924, women were allowed to take part.
Action at London 2012 will take place at the ExCel Arena in Docklands and will consist of 10 events in all. Technology has moved on now, and it is safe to say that there will not be a repeat of the antics of a certain Russian, Boris Onishenko who, at Montreal 1976, took part in the fencing section of the Pentathlon with an electrically modified epée, enabling him to beat his British opponent easily without even landing a blow.
The great swordsmen these days need no such help, but they will have to go some to match the achievements of the Hungarian Aladár Grervich, who is in the record books as the only athlete to win the same Olympic event six times, with victories spanning four decades, from 1932 to 1960.
The country to beat is Italy, who four years ago captured two gold and five bronze medals, enough to see off the challenge of the United States. Instrumental in this was foil expert Valentina Vezzali, who made history in Beijing by becoming the first fencer to win the Individual Foil title at three consecutive Games. She also helped her team win bronze in 2008, and at the age of 38, still appears to be motivated enough to add more silverware to her collection.
Mariel Zagunis became the first American to win a fencing gold in 100 years when successful in the Individual Sabre, and will make a bold bid to retain the title, while it would be a pleasant surprise should any of the British squad prove up to the task, having last been on the podium at Tokyo 1964 when Bill Hoskyns took silver.
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