Fencing Day 5 Preview: Germany seeks gold in Foil

(BEIJING, August 12) -- On August 13, fencing fans will be treated to the Men's Individual Foil. World No. 1 Peter Joppich of Germany is the man to beat at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Joppich is a three-time world champion, having won titles in 2003, 2006 and 2007. He finished in sixth place in the Individual and Team Foil competitions at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, but rides into the Beijing Games on a high after clinching a World Cup win in St. Petersburg, Russia, during the 2007/08 season.

The greatest threat to his dominance could come from his team mate Benjamin Kleibrink, bronze winner at the 2007 World Championships in Russia and gold medalist at the Venice, Italy, World Cup 2007/08. Kleibrink and Joppich have the same coach. Yet, in head-to-head competitions in the last two seasons against Joppich, Kleibrink won only 2 of six.

Other challengers to watch are Salvatore Sanzo and Andrea Cassara of Italy, and Brice Guyart from France.

Sanzo is the Athens 2004 Olympic Champion in Men's Team Foil (an event not included in the Fencing competition at Beijing 2008), and won silver in the Individual event. Sanzo also holds titles from the World Championships in 2001 and 2005.

Cassara, World No. 3, won bronze at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and helped the Italians take gold in the Team event. During the 2007/08 World Cup season, he won gold medals in Tokyo, Japan, and Shanghai, China.

Guyart is the reigning Olympic champion who also took gold at Sydney 2000 in the Team event. He and his French foil team have a clutch of gold medals from the 2001, 2005 and 2007 World Championships.

All matches will take place at the Fencing Hall of the National Convention Center. The event will unfold with the elimination rounds starting at 10:00 a.m. (UTC/GMT+8).