Fencing

Fencing takes place on a 14-metre-long piste using three different weapons, each with its own set of rules. In foil, the target is the torso and the following convention applies: whoever attacks first has the right to thrust. In épée, the entire body is fair game and there are no conventions, so double hits count for both fencers. In sabre, strikes are permitted from the waist upwards, including cutting blows, and it is the fastest of the three weapons. The tradition originated in the Italian armouries of the Renaissance — fencing treatises are among the earliest sports manuals in history — and evolved into a sport in the nineteenth century with the adoption of training weapons and protective masks. The International Fencing Federation was founded in 1913; fencing is the only sport to have featured in every edition of the modern Olympic Games. Matches are won by reaching 15 points or at the end of three three-minute periods; hits are recorded electronically by a signal device attached to the weapon. It requires explosive power in the legs, the ability to read your opponent and crystal-clear decision-making at key moments. At the 20th Mediterranean Games in Taranto in 2026, the fencing competition will take place from 22 to 24 August at the PalaRicciardi, with six individual titles up for grabs: foil, épée and sabre, for both men and women.

• 1Three weapons: foil (target area: torso, with conventions), épée (whole body, without conventions), sabre (from the waist upwards, including cuts)
• 2Matches to 15 points or after three three-minute periods
• 3Hits are recorded electronically by the scoring system linked to the weapon
• 4Stepping sideways off the piste or off the back of the piste results in a penalty and a hit conceded
• 5Six individual titles to be contested in Taranto from 22 to 24 August at the PalaRicciardi