Take the
romantic, swashbuckling epics of Errol Flynn, add some
rules, protective clothing and an electronic scoring
system, and you have fencing at the Olympic Games. Two
rivals stand opposite each other and feint, lunge, parry
and riposte until one scores the required number of hits
to win.
Evolved from
the ancient form of combat, fencing is one of only four
sports that has been featured at every modern Olympic
Games. It was the first to include recognised
professionals in a medals competition after modern
Olympic Games founder Pierre de Coubertin arranged
special events for professional fencing "masters" in the
original 1896 and 1900 competitions.
The clothing
has become so protective, though, that officials
modified masks
a few years ago to return a "human face"
to the event. Fine, but for intense reality, the 1924
team foil competition still wins: After the Olympic
Games, an Italian and a Hungarian settled a scoring
controversy with a real duel.
Three types
of fencing weapons - the foil, épée and sabre - are used
at the Olympic Games. Bouts are held on a 14-metre by
1.5-metre piste, or playing area. Through wires and
special clothing, fencers are connected to an electronic
scoring system that indicates if a hit has occurred.
Each
competition has a single-elimination format. Teams
consist of three fencers, and each duels each member of
the opposing team.