Fencing Day 6 Preview: United States aims for gold in Team Sabre's Olympic debut

(BEIJING, August 13) -- The United States is the favorite to win gold when Women's Team Sabre makes its Olympic debut at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 13. After achieving a medal sweep in Women's Individual Sabre on the first day of the Olympic Games, the American team aims for another gold medal in Sabre.

The favorites for the inaugural Olympic Gold medal in Women's Team Sabre include: Beijing 2008 and Athens 2004 gold medalist Mariel Zagunis; Beijing 2008 silver medalist and Athens 2004 bronze medalist Sada Jacobson; Beijing 2008 bronze medalist and new World No. 1 Rebecca Ward; and Sabre reserve Dagmara Wozniak.

Another contender will be France, the 2006 and 2007 world champion. Its team consists of Leonore Perrus (World No. 9); Anne-Lise Touya (World No. 17); Carole Vergne (World No. 19); and Solenn Mary (World No. 28). The French have historically performed better in Sabre as a team than in the Individual event. France defeated Ukraine at the 2007 worlds to win gold. The French women will look to redeem themselves in Team Sabre after a disappointing performance in the Individual event, where Perrus, Touya and Vergne all lost in the Round of 32.

Ukraine, Russia, and China are strong challengers to the United States and France.

Ukraine, the 2007 Worlds silver medalist, will look to Olga Kharlan (World No. 14); Olena Khomrova (World No. 26); Halyna Pundyk (World No. 34); and Olha Zhovnir (World No. 47). Ukraine will have to overcome Russia in their first bout if they hope to repeat last year's World Championships success.

Russia won bronze at the 2007 World Championships. They will depend on Sofiya Velikaya (World No. 5 ), who just missed out on bronze in Individual Sabre at Beijing 2008; Ekaterina Dyachenko (World No. 7); Elena Nechaeva (World No. 11), the 2007 world champion; and Ekaterina Fedorkina (World No. 24).

China will challenge the United States and France with a strong team comprised of Tan Xue (World No. 4); Bao Yingying (World No. 6); Huang Haiyang (World No. 20) and reserve Ni Hong. For Tan, the Team event is an opportunity to improve on her premature exit from Individual Sabre.

The Women's Team Sabre quarterfinals will start at 9:30 a.m. (UTC/GMT +8) on August 14 at the Fencing Hall of the National Convention Center in Beijing.