Fencing

The aim of competitive fencing is to defend yourself and attack your opponent with a sword to score points.

Fencing for men and women featured on the programme from Auckland 1950 through to Edinburgh 1970, when 12 countries entered athletes. Fencing remains recognised by the Commonwealth Games Federation as a sport with potential for inclusion in future Commonwealth Games.

Team England previous fencing medals

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Total

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There are three different swords which make up the different fencing disciplines: épée, foil and sabre. In épée and foil, only the tip is used for scoring points whereas in sabre the cutting edge is also used.

Points are scored by touching or ‘hitting’ opponents on a valid target area with your sword. The sword is wired to a buzzer that sounds to indicate contact of legal and illegal hits and red and white lights indicate whether a point was scored or not.

In the foil event the target area is the trunk of the body, in the sabre everything above the waist except the hands is allowed and in epee the entire body is legal and counts as a hit.