Fencing is an Olympic sport played with sword, foil and saber, which aims to touch the opponent with one of these bladed weapons, according to the type of dispute, without body contact.
Its origin dates back to prehistory, since the art of hunting gives evidence of what would become sports practices.
Fencing began to be played at the Olympics in 1896, in Athens, in the first edition of the Olympic Games of the modern era.
HISTORY OF FENCING
With historical records, fencing emerged as a sport in Europe in the 16th century. But its practice is very old, after all humanity used it as a means of survival to hunt, to fight and defend itself against the enemy.
The history of the evolution of fencing is intertwined with that of the evolution of weapons and the ways of fighting. A piece of wood was a weapon, which was replaced by pieces of metal, giving way to horse archers, then men on horseback armed with their swords and firearms.
At the time of feudalism, the way of war began to change and with that, the swords also underwent changes, becoming stronger and also thinner at the tips, which became more used. Although the study of fencing began in Italy, the first fencing schools are French.
Over time, the equipment used in the practice of fencing evolved, with the addition of vests, gloves and masks.
In the 18th century, modern fencing began and masks covered the eyes to protect them. Thus, fencing assumes itself as a sport, with mental and physical benefits for its practitioners, among which: increased visual, auditory and tactile acuity, development of agility, concentration, development of reflexes and increased self-confidence.
In 1913, the International Fencing Federation was founded, responsible for organizing the practice and management of the sport at an international level.
In Brazil, the practice of fencing dates back to the imperial period, thanks to Dom Pedro II. The troops made use of it, which is why it was introduced in the Military School courses in 1858.
After that, in 1906, the Training Course in Gymnastics appeared. With the creation of the Military Center of Physical Education, the French master d'arma Lucien de Merignac was encouraged to come to Brazil.
Mestre Gauthier is another Frenchman hired by the Brazilian army to teach fencing to its soldiers. With the support of the Army and Navy, in 1927, the Brazilian Fencing Union was created. Brazil's first fencing participation in the Olympic Games took place in 1936.
FENCING EQUIPMENT
Sword: at 0.90 m and 770 g, it is the heaviest weapon. In sword fencing, the sword can touch any part of the body and, unlike other modalities, simultaneous touches by opponents are allowed. It was the weapon used between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.
Foil: At 0.90 and 500 g, it is a blunt weapon, considered the most difficult in fencing. Lightweight, it requires elegant movements. With the foil, only the trunk can be touched with the tip of the sword. It was the weapon used in the 18th century.
Saber: At 0.88 and 500 g, it is the smallest weapon used in fencing. With it, it is allowed to touch the opponent with the tip or with the side of the blade, the sword and foil touch only with the tip. In saber fencing, the weapon can touch the head, torso, shoulders, arms and forearms.
THE RULES OF FENCING
Fencing is played on a track measuring 14 x 2 m and has two phases: classification and elimination. In qualifying, combats are made between all athletes until someone manages to score five points. In the next phase, the dispute is made in an interval of three jumps of three minutes each. With each jump, there is a 1 minute break. The fencer who has the most points wins the dispute, in a total of 15. The points are computed electronically.
This is because fencers' clothing has sensors. Before this form was adopted, weapons carried traces of chalk that marked the opponent's clothing, which made it difficult for the judges to vote. The object is to hit the opposing fencer's torso with the point of the foil. In the case of the sword, its tip can reach any part of the body. Meanwhile, the tip of the saber, plus the ⅓ of the weapon that is measured from the tip, can reach the waist or the region around it.