If you watched fencing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, you witnessed the best Olympiad for fencing in modern history. Everything that was supposed to happen in these Games did, and then some!

The Perfect Stage

Imagine this: The historic Grand Palais as the venue – I can hardly think of a better setting. The fencers’ presentation was absolutely fantastic and dramatic. You simply can’t expect more than this. The atmosphere? Electrifying! With a crowd of eight thousand people, it felt like being in a stadium for a mainstream sport like basketball or soccer. This is what fencing deserves!

And the fencing itself? Beyond great. Almost every individual bout and team match was exceptional in quality and action, with most outcomes dramatic and largely unpredictable. This is the stuff that makes our sport so thrilling!

A Shift in the Fencing World

Let this sink in: For the first time in history, the first four countries in the medal count were not from Europe! Japan, USA, Korea, and Hong Kong took the top spots. This isn’t just a statistic – it’s a seismic shift in our sport. Fencing, traditionally dominated by European powerhouses, has truly gone global. And there’s nothing more important than that for the growth of our sport – in numbers, in global and local inspiration, and in its overall development.

Historic Firsts and Incredible Achievements

1. Team USA’s Foil Fireworks and Historic Double Gold: 

What a show in Women’s Foil! Gold and Silver individually for Lee Kiefer and Lauren Scruggs, then Gold as a team. Kiefer’s now the first American fencer to win the Olympic Games three times. In any sport, that’s big. In fencing? It’s monumental! But wait, there’s more! Never before has the United States won two Gold medals in a single Olympic Games. That’s an incredible achievement for the country, showing that American fencing is on the rise. Let’s not forget the incredible Bronze medal match that Nick Itkin won. While we were hoping for a better result from the Men’s Foil and Sabre teams, which they are capable of by any means, we know they will be there. Not to mention that for the first time, the USA earned the second place in medal count. The United States has become a world superpower in fencing and it’s only the beginning. We will see much more from the team on its home turf in Los Angeles 2028. Can you imagine the excitement and potential for even more historic moments? The future of American fencing looks brighter than ever!

2. Japan’s Golden Moment: 

Japan won gold in Men’s Foil Team – their first Olympic gold in this event and the first for any non-European country (well, except for that quirky mixed US-Cuban team back in 1904). Can you believe it? This is huge!

3. Japan’s Rising Sun in Sabre: 

A bronze for Japan’s Women’s Sabre team – their first Olympic medal in sabre, men or women, individual or team. Japan did a phenomenal job in these Games, winning two Golds (Men’s Individual Epee, Men’s Team Foil), one Silver (Men’s Team Epee) and one Bronze (Women’s Team Sabre). This means the Japanese won a medal in every weapon – that’s insane! Japan emerged as a fencing powerhouse, and we should expect even more from them in the future.

4. Korea’s Sabre Dynasty: 

Three consecutive golds in Men’s Team Sabre for Korea! They’ve joined Hungary in this elite club. And get this – teammates Sangyu Oh and Bongil Gu are now the first Asian fencers with three Olympic golds each. Oh won Individual Gold in Paris and Team Gold in the last two Olympics, showing his incredible sportsmanship in the final bout, while Gu’s been part of all three winning teams since Rio. He definitely shouldn’t retire – let’s see him go for a fourth in LA!

5. Hungary Breaks the Epee Drought: 

52 years! That’s how long Hungary waited for another fencing gold. They got it in Men’s Epee Team, in a match against Japan that was so close, so dramatic, it came down to overtime where our dear friend, Gergely Siklosi, scored a fantastic winning touch. This is the stuff of fencing legends!

6. Italy’s Epee Excellence: 

The Italian Women’s Epee team finally clinched that elusive Olympic gold. With a team packed with World Champions and Olympic medalists, this win was long anticipated and so well deserved.

7. Ukraine’s Sabre Sensation: 

Gold in Women’s Sabre Team – the second for Ukraine in this event that’s been in the Olympics just four times. And let’s talk about Olga Kharlan – another team gold and an individual bronze. In her unimaginable fencing career, she won 6 (!) Olympic medals, including two Golds! What an incredible achievement for such a great fencer and human being!

8. Czech Republic’s Fairytale Finish: 

Their first Olympic medal in the Men’s Epee Team! Remember those cool musketeer-themed PR videos they did just for qualifying? Well, they didn’t just show up – they won a medal! And what a way for 42-year-old Jiri Beran to retire. Olympic medal – check!

9. African Fencing Makes Its Mark:

Let’s not forget the incredible achievements of African fencers! This Olympics saw some historic moments that deserve our attention and applause. Farès Ferjani from Tunisia clinched a silver medal in the Men’s Sabre. This isn’t just any medal – it’s the first Olympic fencing medal ever for a Tunisian male fencer! Can you imagine the pride and joy in Tunisia right now? This achievement is bound to inspire a whole new generation of fencers in the country. And how about Egypt? A young and super-talented Mohamed El-Sayed brought home a bronze in the Men’s Epee, marking Egypt’s first-ever Olympic medal in this event. What a breakthrough! Moments like these show how fencing is truly becoming a global sport, with excellence emerging from all corners of the world. These achievements are not just personal triumphs for Ferjani and El-Sayed, but they represent a huge leap forward for African fencing as a whole. It’s thrilling to see the sport growing and succeeding in new regions, bringing fresh talent and excitement to the international stage.

Looking Ahead

These Games left an undeniable mark on our sport, its globalization, and the inspiration it provides. I’m positive that by watching Olympic fencing, many people have discovered our sport and will join its ranks. As this Olympic year ends, we start a new cycle, and it’s fascinating to imagine what new names and nations it will bring to the forefront.

There were, of course, some disappointments. One of them is that the host nation managed to win only one gold medal in front of what is arguably the best fencing crowd in the world. But that’s the beauty of our sport – it’s so unpredictable that we can’t help but hold our breath until the last second of every bout and match.

Here’s to great fencing! The next four years promise to be an exciting journey, culminating in what should be an incredible show in Los Angeles. I, for one, can’t wait to see what happens next!

Image: FIE