Valentina Vezzali's attempt to win a third consecutive individual gold medal is just one reason why the Italian fencing team has high hopes coming into the 2008 Olympics.
Vezzali won gold in the individual foil competition in 2000 and 2004, as well as in the team foil event in 1996 and 2000. The 34-year-old took time off after the Athens Games to have a son in June 2005 and was back competing by October, when she clinched her fourth world crown.
In 2006, Vezzali lost her world title to Italian teammate Margherta Granbassi. But Vezzali beat Granbassi for the 2007 title and the two are expected to battle it out for the gold in Beijing.
Giovanna Trillini, who won the bronze at the 2007 Worlds, comes to Beijing looking to become the most decorated fencer of all time by winning her eighth medal.
The 38-year-old Trillini captured gold in the individual foil competition in 1992, bronze in 1996 and 2000 and silver in 2004. She also helped Italy take the gold in the team foil event in 1992, 1996 and 2000.
The rest of the women's team has had less success. No Italian woman has won a medal in the individual epee events, or any hardware in the sabre competitions.
DPA
(China Daily 08/07/2008 page11)
