Paralympic Wheelchair Fencing London 2012
The Paralympic sport of Wheelchair Fencing features three different weapons, 100 athletes – and plenty of action.
Did you know?
In 2006, the World Fencing Championships for able-bodied and wheelchair athletes were held alongside each other for the first time.
Frames are designed so that fencers can compete against each other whether they are right- or left-handed (so left vs right, right vs right, or left vs left).
The distance between fencers at the start of a bout is decided by the fencer with the shorter arm. They can decide whether to fence at their own distance, that of their opponent or anywhere between the two.
Key facts
Venue: ExCeL
Dates: Tuesday 4 September – Saturday 8 September 2012
Medal events: 12
Athletes: 100
Although sword fighting dates back thousands of years, Fencing as we now understand it really came of age as a sport in the 19th century. Developed in the years after World War II at Stoke Mandeville by Sir Ludwig Guttmann, the founder of the Paralympic Games, Wheelchair Fencing is a fierce, fast-moving battle of tactics and technique.
The basics
Athletes compete in wheelchairs that are fastened to the floor. This gives the fencers real freedom of movement in their upper bodies, not to mention full confidence that their chairs won’t move or tip over during competition. The length of the playing area is determined by the athlete with the shorter arm reach, who decides if the distance between competitors will be set at the length of their opponent’s reach or their own.
Three types of weapon are used in Paralympic Fencing. In bouts using the Foil and the slightly heavier Epée, hits are scored by hitting an opponent with the tip of the weapon. However, in Sabre, hits may also be scored with the edge of the weapon. The target area for the Foil is limited to the opponent’s torso, while competitors in the Sabre and Epée events may be struck anywhere above the waist.
Wheelchair Fencing, past and present
Wheelchair Fencing was part of the first Paralympic Games in Rome 1960. At the Seoul Games in 1988, a new system of integrated classification was introduced, which allows athletes with different disabilities the opportunity to compete together.
For London 2012, the Wheelchair Fencing competition will be held at ExCeL, a multi-purpose events venue that will also host a number of other Paralympic and Olympic sports.
Jargon buster
- Epée: The heaviest weapon and a true duelling sword: opposing fencers can score simultaneous hits by landing their points at the same time.
- Foil: A light weapon derived from the court sword, the Foil has very strict right-of-way and timing rules. The target area in foil bouts is the opponent’s torso.
- Sabre: In contests involving the Sabre, which is derived from the cavalry sword, fencers may score hits with the edge and the tip of the blade on a target area limited to anywhere above the waist.
Get involved
If you are interested in taking part, you can get started at a local club. For more information, visit the British Disabled Fencing Association’s website or check Parasport. The International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation, the international governing body for Wheelchair Fencing, is another useful resource.
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