| The Olympics are in Beijing in 2008, how are the | | | | top 3 in the World standings qualify, with only one |
| teams chosen for the fencing competition? | | | | fencer from any one country. The next 7 are |
| The mandated levels of athlete participation has | | | | pulled from the Olympic zones as the top 2 from |
| led to changes in the selection process for the | | | | Europe, 2 from Asia, 2 from the Americas, and 1 |
| Games. Each nation is no longer guaranteed an | | | | from Africa, again with only 1 fencer from a |
| athlete in each sport - now nations and athletes | | | | country. The remaining 5 slots are determined by |
| have to compete against not only their | | | | a continental qualifying competition with 2 from |
| countrymen, but against others in their region or | | | | Europe and 1 from each of the remaining regions. |
| continent for an Olympic slot. | | | | What about Men's Foil and Women's Epee? |
| In the 2004 Olympic Games all of the men's | | | | A different set of criteria is used to pick the 24 |
| events (epee, foil, and saber) were included, but | | | | fencers who will compete in the Men's Foil and |
| two of the three women's events did not hold | | | | Women's Epee events. Because there is no team |
| the team competition. | | | | event, each individual will have to qualify on their |
| The international fencing federation (FIE) rotates | | | | own merit and not on the ranking of their national |
| the events which will sit out the team portion of | | | | team. The following formula is used to pick the 24 |
| the Olympics, and for the 2008 Olympic Fencing | | | | individual entries: |
| competition, Men's Foil and Women's Epee will only | | | | The top 8 in the World rankings get their tickets |
| hold an individual tournament. | | | | punched (but only 2 can go from the same |
| Who gets to go? | | | | country from this set.) After the first 8 are |
| Athletes are competing for slots based on their | | | | chosen, the next 8 in are picked by region based |
| nation's standing in the world (for team events) | | | | on adjusted world rankings. (There are 3 slots for |
| and based on individual world rankings (for the | | | | Europe, 2 for Asia, 2 for the Americas, and 1 for |
| individual events.) Here's a breakdown of what it | | | | Africa.) The last 8 qualify based on continental |
| will take for an aspiring swordsman (or | | | | competitions where countries that haven't qualified |
| swordswoman) to get a ticket to Beijing: | | | | any fencers on the first 2 rounds. In the last |
| Weapons with Team Events (Men's Epee, Men's | | | | round, the allocation of slots remains at 3 Europe, |
| Sabre, Women's Foil, Women's Sabre): | | | | 2 Asia and Americas, and 1 for Africa. |
| Team Events are comprised of teams of 3 | | | | Outlook for the United States |
| fencers with 1 alternate. A total of 8 teams can | | | | Will the US earn a medal in 2008? |
| compete in each team event (9 if China fails to | | | | The United States earned Bronze and Gold |
| qualify a team directly). | | | | medals in Women's sabre in 2004. Sada Jacobson |
| The top 4 teams in the world standings will qualify | | | | and Mariel Zagunis are still at the top of the world |
| directly to the Olympics. The remaining 4 teams | | | | rankings and are joined by young fencing phenom |
| are chosen based on regional qualification. The top | | | | Becca Ward, who last year won the individual |
| team from each region (Americas, Asia, Europe, | | | | world championship title at the Cadet, Junior, and |
| Africa) that is not already qualified will earn a | | | | Senior levels of competition. The US is favored to |
| regional berth. | | | | medal in Women's Sabre. |
| The individual event is a tournament with a field | | | | In the other weapons, the best hopes are with |
| of 39 fencers. For the individual competition, the | | | | Men's Sabre as the individual team members are |
| 24 fencers that competed in the team event | | | | posting good results for the season. |
| qualify. After the first 24 fencers are chosen, the | | | | |