First Youth Olympic Games

Lausanne, 8 August 2010

There are only seven days until the start of the fencing competitions which are taking place at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in the city-state of Singapore, at the first Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in history. 78 fencers from 36 nations are going to compete against each other on the pistes of Hall 602 at the ICC. The final day will be reserved for the mixed continental team event with the six weapons.

• 15 August, from 9h30: Male sabre & Female foil
  
• 16 August, from 9h30: Female sabre & Male épée
  
• 17 August, from 9h00: Male foil & Female épée
  
• 18 August, from 9h30: Mixed continental team event

The composition of the teams will be determined by the results achieved during the individual events. The best fencers ranked in each weapon will form the top team of each continent as follows: Europe 1, Europe 2, Europe 3, Europe 4, Asia 1, Asia 2, Americas 1, Americas 2, Africa.

Among the athletes who qualified, we should note the withdrawal of the Icelandic sabre fencer Gunnhildur Gardarsdóttir, due to illness. According to FIE regulations, she will be replaced by the top athlete who finished highest at the Cadet World Championships, that is to say the Italian Vittoria Ciardullo.

Fencing will not only be represented in the sporting events but also historically thanks to an Exposition which will take place at the ICC in parallel with the competitions. This Expo, the brainchild of the President Alisher Usmanov, will exhibit unique items from different private collections. Furthermore, the FIE is the only international federation which is holding an exposition during the YOG. A piste will be especially installed at the stand dedicated to the Expo. Valentina Vezzali, fencing ambassador for the YOG, will perform a demonstration there on 17 August.