Let’s focus on the Women’s Epee event as we continue our journey through the Olympic fencing disciplines. Like in the men’s competition, the women’s épée is a showcase of strategy, precision, and lightning-fast reflexes. Remember, in épée, the entire body is a valid target, and there’s no right-of-way rule, making it a thrilling and unpredictable event.

The Women’s Epee Individual competition is scheduled for July 27, 2024, at the Paris Olympic Games. Let’s take a look at some of the top contenders and rising stars to watch. Each of these ladies can win Gold or a medal, and each one is eager to do so. These Olympic Games will surely create some history. Let’s review some of the top and most interesting contenders in the field.

Women’s Epee Individual Event

Man Wai Vivian Kong (Hong Kong) – World Rank: 1

At 30, Kong has established herself as the world’s top-ranked women’s epee fencer consistently in every season for the whooping nine seasons after she aged out of Juniors! This left-handed fencer has been on a tear recently, topping the podium thrice in 2024 alone! She withdrew from the quarterfinals three weeks ago in the Asian Championships in Kuwait due to an injury, and I sincerely hope she fully recovers by Paris and has her best game. I first saw her in a local competition in the San Francisco Bay Area about ten years ago when she was still a Junior at Stanford University, and she was a pleasure to watch (and she smashed some of our fencers in that competition, too 🙂 )

Key Achievements:

• 4-time World Cup Gold Medalist
• 2-time Grand Prix gold medalist (Cali 2023 and Doha 2024)
• 2-time World Championship bronze medalist (most recently in Cairo 2022)
• 3-time Asian Champion
• 2016 Olympian

Kong’s consistency at the highest level is remarkable. Her recent victories show she’s in top form heading into the Olympics. Could she bring Hong Kong its second Olympic fencing medal? There is no team for Hong Kong, and she qualified individually, giving her only a single chance to get a good result. I think she is one of the top contenders for the trophy, and if she delivers, this would be a historic achievement.

Marie-Florence Candassamy (France) – World Rank: 2

At 33, Candassamy is one of the most experienced fencers in the women’s epee circuit. The right-handed French fencer, leader of the French team, has been in excellent form recently. Candassamy herself says that one of her main virtues is patience and, well, she had a lot of patience to reach this level! Her major access to consistent success happened after the pandemic, when she started to frequent world podiums, culminating in her World Championship title in Milan in 2023, becoming the oldest French woman to claim this title in the history of fencing. Like a good French wine, she came to her prime with age, but now she’s one of the key players on the field. Holding the latest world title, she’s under the most pressure to defend it, but she’s one who can withstand this type of pressure. If she medals, she’ll be the first French epee female fencer since the legendary Laura Flessel to medal in the Olympics.

Key Achievements:

• Gold at the 2023 World Championships in Milan
• Three-time silver medalist at Grand Prix events in 2023 and 2024
• 3 times European Team Champion with the French team
• Three-time World Cup silver medalist
• 2016 Olympian

Candassamy will have the home crowd behind her in Paris. Can she use this advantage to claim Olympic gold on home soil?

Alberta Santuccio (Italy) – World Rank: 3

At 29, Santuccio represents the strong Italian épée tradition. This right-handed fencer has been steadily climbing the ranks. This season, she seemed to get to an exceptional condition, winning multiple medals since the 2023 World Championship in Milan and making the podium at the European Championships a few weeks ago.

Key Achievements:

• Silver medalist at 2023 World Championship
• Bronze medalist at 2024 European Championship
• Winner and Medalist of multiple Grand Prix and World Cups

Santuccio’s experience in major competitions could be a significant asset in the pressure cooker of Olympic competition.

Sun Yiwen (China) – World Rank: 4

Sun, a 32-year-old left-handed fencer, is the reigning Olympic champion and a force to be reckoned with. She has medals of any color in any level of competition, including Gold in the Olympic Games. This would be her third Olympic appearance, and in her first Games, she clinched Bronze in Individual and Silver in Team events.

Key Achievements:

• Tokyo Individual Olympic Champion, winning the title in a spectacular bout over the most experienced and titled fencers in women’s epee history, much more experienced Romanian Ana Maria Popescu.
• 2016 Individual Olympic Bronze Medalist
• 2016 Team Olympic Silver Medalist
• Two-time team World Champion

Sun made history in Tokyo by becoming the first Chinese fencer to win an Olympic gold in individual women’s epee. Can she defend her title in Paris? Well, this lady has all she needs to win the title, and her condition is excellent now, judging by her recent performance in Kuwait, where she lost the bout for the Asian continent title to her teammate Yu Sihan by 1 touch only 8:9 (bouts between teammates are the most difficult ones and coaching isn’t allowed, making it strictly the mind game between two friends)

Giulia Rizzi (Italy) – World Rank: 5

At 35, Rizzi is one of the most experienced fencers in the field. She’s part of a super accomplished Italian team, the veterans in this field. For a long time, she was an OK fencer in individual competitions, but this year, with three podium finishes, including Gold in the World Cup and two Silvers in the Grand Prix, she seems to have a second wind. 

Key Achievements:

• Two-time World Cup gold medalist (Vancouver 2022 and Nanjing 2024)
• Two-time Grand Prix silver medalist (Doha and Cali 2024)

Rizzi’s recent results show she’s peaking at the right time. Could she cap off her career with an Olympic medal?

Auriane Mallo (France) – World Rank: 6

At 30, Mallo is part of the strong French épée contingent. Unlike most of the other contenders in this field, Mallo is not a ‘professional’ fencer who belongs to some branch of armed or police forces in a country that allows her to focus only on her sports career. Instead, she has another career as a massage therapist and fencing as her hobby. Well, hobby it is! While she only recently won her first gold medal in the Grand Prix in May 2024 in Columbia, the last two years have been very fruitful for her, and she has had a number of good results.

Key Achievements:

• Grand Prix winner in Cali 2024
• She won a silver medal at the 2024 European Championships and a Bronze medal at the 2023 European Championships. She considers her Bronze medal to be her major breakthrough achievement, paving the way for Paris—rightfully so!

Mallo’s recent Grand Prix victory and consistent improvement in the last two years show she has what it takes to win big tournaments. She took a gap year in her professional career to prepare for the Olympics, and I wonder whether she would be able to replicate her recent success at the Olympics and win a medal. Like Italian Rizzi, she comes to the Game in her best-ever condition.

Sera Song (Korea) – World Rank: 7

At 30 years old, Song is entering her prime as a fencer – she’s yet another fencer who started to flourish after the pandemic. The left-hander’s recent results have been impressive.

Key Achievements:

• 2022 World Champion in Cairo, both Individual and Team, becoming the only Korean woman in any weapon to win World’s title in both events
• Silver medalist in Tokyo Olympic Games (teams)
• Multiple World Cup gold medals
• 2020 Olympian

Song’s aggressive style and recent form make her a serious contender for Olympic gold. Can she improve on her Olympic performance in Tokyo? She’s definitely capable of – coming third in the recent Asian Championship in Kuwait a few weeks ago shows that she’s in excellent form.

Nathalie Moellhausen (Brazil) – World Rank: 8

At 38, Moellhausen is a brand in her own merit and is one of the most experienced, accomplished, and colorful fencers in the women’s epee, both fencing and persona-wise. Originally from Italy she represented it for many years on the World Stage with exceptional results. She then retired from fencing and returned back to it prior to the Rio Olympic Games, when she began to represent Brazil from that point on (her mother is Brazilian). This of course wasn’t warmly viewed by the Italians, with whom she won World and European titles several years before. This left-handed fencer, representing now Brazil, has shown remarkable consistency throughout her long career, and I think that once she switched countries, her fencing career really took off. 

Key Achievements:

• 2019 World Champion in Budapest, representing Brazil
• 2015 Pan American Champion and many more times Pan American Championship medalist
• Three-time World Cup winner (2007, 2009, and most recently 2023 in Barcelona)
• Four-time Olympian (2012 for Italy, fencing only in the team event; for Brazil – 2016, 2020, 2024)

Moellhausen’s career is a testament to her skill, dedication, and longevity in the sport. Her World Championship victory in 2019 at the age of 33 showed that she was still at the top of her game well into her career, and she’s far from stopping now. As she lives and trains in Paris, this would be her home turf to compete, even if she isn’t French. I believe that Moellhausen’s experience and recent form make her a serious contender for the podium in Paris. 

Rossella Fiamingo (Italy) – World Rank: 11

At 32, Fiamingo is one of her generation’s most decorated épée fencers and definitely the most decorated fencer in these Olympics. This left-handed Italian fencer has been a dominant force in women’s épée for over a decade. She won everything possible except Olympic Gold. And she is not to be stopped – she’s one of those fencers who are insatiable even after their win! This is her fourth Olympic Games, and she already said she will aim for Los Angeles 2028!

Key Achievements:

• Two-time World Champion (2014 and 2015)
• First woman to win back-to-back world titles in women’s épée since Laura Flessel-Colovic in 1998-1999
• Silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics in Individual competition
• Bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Team event
• Silver medal at the 2022 European Fencing Championships
• 2024 European Team Champion
• Bronze medal at the 2022 World Fencing Championships
• Overall World Cup winner in 2014/2015 season
• Four-time Olympian (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024)

Fiamingo’s consistency at the highest level is remarkable. Her back-to-back World Championship titles in 2014 and 2015 put her in an elite group of fencers. Her ability to perform at the Olympic Games, evidenced by her medals in both Rio and Tokyo, makes her a serious contender for the podium in Paris. This season she didn’t medal in any individual event, which I believe makes her hungry for the Olympic Gold. If she wins it – she’ll join a very small circuit of women’s epeeists who have all three Olympic medals.

As she approaches her fourth Olympic Games, Fiamingo brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success in major competitions and she can help taking her and her team to the Olympic podium. And, of course, we all want to see if she can add an Olympic gold to her impressive collection of medals in Paris.

Alexandra Ndolo (Kenya) – World Rank: 10

At 37, Ndolo is very experienced fencers in the field. Similar to Brazilian Moelhausen, this left-handed fencer recently switched allegiance from Germany to Kenya. Ndolo’s story is quite interesting, as she decided to develop fencing in Kenya and switched her allegiance to be Kenya’s first champion. 

Key Achievements:

• Silver medal at the 2022 World Fencing Championships, her best achievement up to date, representing Germany
• Silver medal at the 2017 European Fencing Championships
• Bronze medal at the 2019 European Fencing Championships

Ndolo’s experience and recent World Championship silver make her a serious contender, and if she wins a medal for Kenya, this would become a great inspirational story for many kids. Can she make history by winning Kenya’s first Olympic fencing medal? Her desire to develop fencing in her father’s birthplace is nothing short of admiration.

Nelli Differt (Estonia) – World Rank: 12

Differt’s individual qualification for the Olympic Games is one of the examples of how tough it is. Differt comes from Estonia, which became Olympic champions in Tokyo. Back then, she was not a member of this Golden team. Estonians did not qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris, which denied us an opportunity to watch one of the world’s most interesting epee fencers, a 43-year-old Irina Embrich, who became European Champion just a few weeks ago. However, none of the Olympic Champions (Embrish, Lehis, Kirpu, Beljaeva) succeeded in qualifying individually. Now it is up to Differt, ithe least accomplished fencer among this exceptional roster, to showcase her skills in Paris. But she delivered when it mattered the most – during Olympic qualification season, consistently finishing in the top 8 or top 16 and accruing the necessary points to take one of the two European spots (another one is a young Hungarian fencer Eszter Muhari). Differt has several big-stage medals (World Cups, European Championships, and Grand Prix), so she’s definitely capable of achieving high results. Let’s see if she succeeds in taking a medal and compensating for a major Estonian absence at these games.

Margherita Guzzi Vincenti (USA) – World Rank: 13

As a Junior fencer, Guzzi Vincenti fenced for Italy, but then she moved to the US to study and continued her fencing career there. Only recently, in the last year, at 33, did she start to make waves in the international fencing scene, winning the 2023 World Cup in Legnano, Italy, and the 2024 Pan American Championship just a few weeks ago. I hope that she gained great form and confidence to make her a contender for the Olympic Medal. 

Hadley Husisian (USA) – World Rank: 19

At just 20 years old and first year entering the Senior circuit, Husisian represents the future of American fencing. Hussain has been making a name for herself in both junior and senior competitions.

Key Achievements:

• Silver medal at the 2024 Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru
• Bronze medal at the 2024 Doha Grand Prix
• Gold medalist at both the 2022 and 2023 Junior World Championships in Individual events and two times world #1 Junior fencer
• Three-time Gold medalist in Junior World Cup events (2021 in Spain, 2022 in Germany, 2023 in France)
• Gold medalist at the 2023 Junior Pan American Championships

Husisian’s success at the junior level, including back-to-back Junior World Championship titles, marks her as one of the most promising young fencers in the world. Her recent medals in senior competitions, including a Grand Prix bronze, show that she’s successfully making the transition to the senior level. Could she be the surprise package of the Olympic épée competition?

These two American fencers represent different generations of talent, with Guzzi Vincenti bringing experience and recent success and Husisian showcasing the bright future of US fencing. Both will be key players to watch in the Women’s Épée event in Paris.

Women’s Épée Team Event

Eight nations will compete in the team event in Paris. Here’s a breakdown based on team performance in the 2023-2024 season for the qualified countries:

Italy (World Rank: 1) 

Italy has been dominant in women’s épée, winning Silver at the 2023 World Championships in Milan. They’ve shown consistency with strong performances in World Cups, including a gold this season in European Championship. With a talented and experienced roster including Rossella Fiamingo, Mara Navarria, Guilia Gizzi, and Alberta Santuccio, Italy enters the Olympics as one of the favorites for team gold. Italy never won gold in the Women’s Epee in the Olympic Games, either individually or as a team, and Paris might be a place where this dry streak will end.

South Korea (World Rank: 2) 

Korea is one of the top teams in the world and, as a team, one of the most accomplished in these Olympics. Tokyo Silver Medalists and 2022 World Champions, Koreans will definitely fight for the gold, remembering their bitter defeat in Tokyo. The Koreans have maintained their strong position, consistently finishing in top places during the season. Their roster at the Paris Olympics features the same experienced team that was in Tokyo, with Sera Song, Injeong Choi, and Young Mi Kang. For Choi, a two-time Olympic silver medalist, this would be her fourth Olympic Games. We definitely should expect something spectacular from this team.

Poland (World Rank: 3) 

Poland is traditionally a strong team, but they surprised many, winning gold at the 2023 World Championships in Milan. They’ve had consistent performances in World Cups, including a bronze in one of the World Cups this season. Their rise in the rankings makes them a serious contender for an Olympic medal. They definitely surprised me when they put a junior fencer, Alicja Klasic, who was inexperienced in the senior circle, to fence in the Olympics, but maybe their head coach knows something we don’t. We’ll see.

Ukraine (World Rank: 4) 

Ukraine has performed admirably despite challenging circumstances, winning gold in the Legnano World Cup. Their resilience and skill guaranteed them the coveted European spot in qualification, something that the Olympic Champions, Estonia, didn’t succeed in achieving, which speaks volumes about Ukranian team resilance. While it is hard for me to envision them medaling, they could definitely pull a trick – there is enough talent on this team, including 2022 European Champion Vlada Kharkova.

China (World Rank: 5) 

China, with one of the most accomplished fencers in these Games, Yiwen Sun, who has under her belt 3 Olympic Medals, including Gold from Tokyo, has shown a consistent strength with frequent podium finishes in World Cups. Their mix of experience and young talent could see them challenging for medals.

USA (World Rank: 6)

The United States transitioned from the era of the Hurley sisters to a new team with new talent, and what talent it is! Two rising American stars are starting to make strides in the senior circuit, Hadley Husisian and Anna Cebula, and more experienced Kat Holmes and Margheritta Guzzi Vincetti. The team will be aiming for a repeat Olympic team medal in women’s épée from London, and being utterly biased, I will be rooting for them.

France (World Rank: 9) 

Despite their current ranking, France is definitely one of the top teams to win a medal. I’ve yet to see something great from this team this season, but I surely hope this will change in Paris. With individual talents like Marie-Florence Candassamy and the advantage of competing on home soil, they could be a formidable force in the competition. If there is a country that appreciates fencing the most, it is France – every international event held in Paris sells out with a whole stadium being packed. Olympic Fencing, with all 6 French teams,, will attract many fans.

Egypt (World Rank: 15) 

While Egypt’s recent team results haven’t been as strong as some other qualifiers, they dominate African fencing. I’m sure they’ll be looking to make a mark on the global stage in Paris.

The Women’s Épée Team event promises to be highly competitive, with several teams capable of reaching the podium. The format of team competition allows for dramatic turnarounds and unexpected results, making it one of the most exciting events in fencing. With the level of talent across these eight teams, we can expect thrilling matches from the first round all the way to the gold medal bout.

Women’s Epee Complete Roster

Women’s Epee Team and Individual Event

Italy: Rossella Fiamingo, Giulia Rizzi , Alberta Santuccio, Mara Navarria (Team Alternate only)

Korea: Sera Song, Hayein Lee, Young Mi Kang, Injeong Choi (Team Alternate only)

Poland: Renata Knapik-Miazga, Alicja Klasik, Martyna Swatowska-Venglarczyk, Aleksandra Jarecka (Team Alternate only)

France: Marie-Florence Candassami, Auriane Malo-Breton, Coraline Vitalis, Alexandra Louis Marie

Ukraine: Vlada Kharkova, Olena Kryvytska, Dzhoan Feybi Bezhura, Darja Varfolomeyeva

USA: Hadley Hussasian, Anne Cebula, Margherita Guzzi-Vincenti, Kat Holmes (Team Alternate only)

China: Yiwen Sun, Junyao Tang, Sihan Yu, Nuo Xu (Team Alternate only)

Egypt: Nardin Ehab, Aya Hussein, Shirwit Gaber, Loulwa Soliman

Women’s Epee Team Individual Event 

Nathalie Moellhausen (Brazil), Vivian Kong (Hong Kong), Miho Yoshimura (Japan), Alexandra Ndolo (Kenya), Eszter Muhari (Hungary), Nelli Differt (Estonia), Ndèye Binta Diongue (Senegal), María Luisa Doig (Peru), Pauline Brunner (Switzerland), Uwihoreye Tufaha (Rwanda), Ruien Xiao (Canada), Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman (Singapore)

To learn more about Olympic Fencing, read our comprehensive guide here. To expand your knowledge of key players in other disciplines, read our special editions on Men’s Epee, Men’s Foil, Women’s Foil, Men’s Sabre, and Women’s Sabre.

Image: Serge Timacheff/FIE