Fencing is an Olympic sport played with sword, foil and saber, which aims to play the opponent with one of these bladed weapons - according to the modality of the dispute - without contact body.
Its origins date back to prehistory, since the art of hunting gives indications of what sporting practices would become.
Fencing began to be disputed in the Olympics in 1896, in Athens, in the first edition of the Olympic Games of the modern era.
history of fencing
According to historical records, fencing appeared 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 against the enemy.
There are indications that fencing was practiced for thousands of years, both in Egypt and Greece. In many countries, before it became a sport, it was a very common form of combat. Gladiators, for example, used it in combat, but also as entertainment for the people.
The history of the evolution of swordplay is intertwined with the evolution of weapons and forms of combat. A piece of wood was a weapon, which was replaced by pieces of metal, giving way to archers on horseback, 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, swords also suffered changes, becoming stronger and also thinner at the ends, which became more used.
Knights headed to other villages to compete in tournaments, a practice that was very common until the Pope forbade it. The ban came following the death of King Henry II of France, in a jousting tournament, which is a sport in which two riders on horseback challenge each other using weapons such as swords, spears and axes.
Although the study of fencing started in Italy, the first fencing schools are French. At that time, when the tracks were drawn on the ground, they tried to find out - between the sword and the saber - which was the best weapon for the practice of fencing, but no conclusions were reached.
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 begins and masks cover the eyes, protecting them. Thus, fencing is assumed to be sport, with mental and physical benefits for its practitioners, including: increased visual, auditory and tactile acuity, development of agility, concentration, development of reflexes and increased self confidence.
In 1913 the International Fencing Federation is founded, responsible for organizing the practice and management of sport at an international level.
fencing in Brazil
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 courses of the Escola Militar in 1858.
After that, in 1906, the Training Course in Gymnastics was created and, with the creation of the Military Center for Physical Education, the French d’arma master Lucien de Merignac was encouraged to come to Brazil. Mestre Gauthier is another Frenchman hired by the Brazilian army to teach swordplay to its soldiers.
With the support of the Army and Navy, in 1927, the União Brasileira de Esgrima was created.
Brazil's first participation in fencing in the Olympic Games took place in 1936.
See too: Olympic torch.
rules of fencing
The fencing takes place on a track that measures 14 x 2 m and has two phases: qualifying and eliminatory.
In qualifying, matches are made between all athletes until someone manages to score five points.
In the next phase, the dispute is done in an interval of three jumps of three minutes each. At each jump, there is a 1-minute break.
The fencer who has the most points wins the dispute, a total of 15.
Points are computed electronically. This is because fencers' clothing has sensors. Before this form was adopted, the weapons had traces of chalk that marked the opponent's clothing, which made it difficult for the judges to vote.
The objective is to hit the opponent's fencer's torso with the tip of the foil. In the case of the sword, its tip can hit any part of the body. Meanwhile, the tip of the saber plus ⅓ of the weapon (measured from the tip) can reach the waist or the region around it.
Fencing Equipment
Weapons: sword, rapier and saber
It is the weapons that determine the modalities of fencing.
In the practice of sport, the following bladed weapons are used, which, in addition to the format, differ by the role they play in the dispute (score zone):
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: With 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 torso can be touched with the tip of the sword.
It was the weapon used in the 18th century.
Saber: with 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 only touch with the tip. In the sword, the weapon can touch the head, torso, shoulders, arms and forearms.
Clothes
In addition to weapons, the clothing of practitioners of this sport is very important, after all, they ensure the safety of fencers.
The fencer's clothing is usually all white and the following accessories are obligatory: protective vest, gloves and metal mask.
Discover other Olympic sports:
- Judo
- Athletics
- Badminton
- Fitness
Bibliographic references
CBE - Brazilian Fencing Confederation