Men's Competition

Outsider Zhong Man was successful in Men's Individual Sabre. Zhong defeated Nicolas Lopez from France in the final to become the first Chinese male to win Olympic Fencing gold.

Sydney 2000 gold medalist Mihai Covaliu from Romania also crushed France's dream of a double medal result in this event when Covaliu picked up the bronze medal by defeating French fencer Julien Pillet.

France successfully defended their Athens 2004 Team Sabre title by defeating surprise contender the United States. Bronze went to Italy.

Benjamin Philip Kleibrink of Germany was crowned Olympic champion in Men's Individual Foil, making history as the first German Foil fencer to win gold at an Olympic Games.

The German defeated Ota Yuki from Japan in the gold medal bout. Ota's silver medal also marks Japan's entrance into the overall Olympic Fencing medal tally. Bronze went to Salvatore Sanzo of Italy.

In Men's Individual Epee, Matteo Tagliariol from Italy survived the attacks of his challengers and was the only favorite to win a medal. Tagliariol defeated France's Fabrice Jeannet and the bronze medal went to Jose Luis Abajo of Spain, who won Spain the first Olympic Fencing medal.

France's Ulrich Robeiri and brothers Fabrice and Jerome Jeannet took gold in Men's Team Epee in a supreme display against Poland, who took silver, followed by bronze medalist Italy, who defeated China in front of its home crowd.

The Fencing competition at Beijing 2008 sends a clear message to some of the sport's older powerhouses - Fencing's globalization means the regency of European countries is coming to an end.

France still managed to take pole position in the Beijing 2008 Fencing medal tally with two gold and two silver, followed by Italy with two gold and five bronze medals and Germany with two gold medals.

The United States walks away with six medals - one gold, three silver and two bronze.

At the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, 25 of the 30 medals handed out went to European NOCs. At Beijing 2008, the Fencing medal tally between Europe and the rest of the world is 20 to 10.

The battle for Fencing supremacy between Asia, Europe and the Americas has now officially begun.

(Beijing 2008.cn August 18, 2008 )