The place is legendary, the decor promises to be grandiose. The Grand Palais, in the heart of Paris, between the Seine and the Champs-Elysées. Gorgeous. But on the competition field, what are the fencing events like at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games? What can we expect from it?

One month before the opening, all the qualifiers are known, in the six individual events as well as for the six team competitions. In nine days (July 27 to August 4), the Games will deliver their verdict, which is impossible to anticipate. But a trend is emerging, consistent with the evolution of fencing in recent years: Paris 2024 promises to be the most universal edition in history. The Fencing Planet Games.

A figure, to prove it: no less than 16 countries won a place in one or other of the six team events, the most revealing of the strength of a nation. Europe dominates the field, with six qualified countries: France, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Czechia and Ukraine. Asia follows closely, with five representatives: Japan, China, Iran, South Korea and Kazakhstan. America is not far away, with the United States, Canada and Venezuela. Africa's chances will be defended at the Grand Palais by Egypt and Algeria.

In total, 53 countries will be represented at the Paris 2024 Games. There were 42 at the Tokyo 2020 Games, 47 at the Rio 2016 Games and 44 in London in 2012. Europe remains the most represented continent, with 41,5%. qualified fencers, ahead of Asia/Oceania (35,8%), Africa (26,4%), and the Americas (24,5%).

Another development: the time has passed when the traditional fencing nations presented themselves in all weapons. At the 2024 Paris Games, only two nations will be present in the six team events: France, the host country, and Italy. Two other countries, the United States and Egypt, earned places in five team events.

Same trend on an individual level, where the Paris Games will have 212 fencers, with 106 men and 106 women. Total parity therefore.

One month before the opening, the world rankings are also intended to reflect a distribution of forces more universal than ever. Athletes from five different countries, and three continents, are in the lead in the six weapons of the program.

In the epee, the Chinese from Hong Kong Man Wai Vivian dominates the ranking among the women, the Hungarian Mate Tamas Koch, only 24 years old, occupying the same position among the men.

In foil, the United States scored a double with Lee Kiefer for the women and Nick Itkin, also only 24 years old, for the men.

In the sabre, the French Sara Balzer is in the lead. The Georgian Sandro Bazadze dominates the men's ranking, where the young American Colin Heathcock occupies 4th place at only 18 years old. He is still a junior but will experience his first Olympic Games in Paris.

At the Tokyo 2020 Games, nine countries won at least one gold medal. There were twelve of them to get on the podium. With a casting more open than ever, both individually and in teams, Paris 2024 could well further expand the range of medal-winning nations.

But the trend is not measured only by counting the candidates for the podium. It is also expressed in more depth, through the participation in Olympic events of athletes from countries unfamiliar with the event. Three countries, Rwanda, Lebanon and Cape Verde, obtained a quota under universality.

Five countries will make history, in a month, at the Paris 2024 Games, by being represented for the first time in the fencing competition: Cyprus, Rwanda, Cape Verde, Kenya and Niger (present at twice at the Youth Games). They owe it respectively to Victor Alvares de Oliveira, 27, qualified in men's foil (Cape Verde); Tufaha Uwihoreye, 28 years old, selected for women's epee (Rwanda); Alex Tofalides, 31, qualified in men's foil (Cyprus); Evann Jean Abba Girault, 19 years old, qualified in men's saber (Niger); and Alexandra Ndolo, 37, qualified in women's epee (Kenya).

At 17, Kruz Schembri, one of the youngest prospects in men's foil, will bring the Virgin Islands back into the Olympic Games for the first time in 40 years. His home country's last participation in fencing was at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.