Hungarian fencers in search of victory

(BEIJING, August 4) -- Hungary is hoping its long fencing tradition and a proven Olympic track record will secure a series of podium finishes at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Fencing competition.

The Hungarian Fencing Federation set its sights on multiple Olympic medals following their success at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

"Our ambitions are realistic because we achieved podium places in the last seven European and world championships," said the Hungarian general manager, Andras Fuleky.

"Hungary is here with 12 competitors in eight disciplines, and all of them have good chances of getting a medal," he said.

Hungarian fencers to watch include Individual Epee world champion Krisztian Kulcsar, Sabre specialist Zsolt Nemcsik and Emese Szasz in Women's Individual Epee.

As a fencing nation with a tradition of success, Hungarian Fencing hopes a clutch of Olympic medals will win them more financial support from the government's sports department, which funds sports on a medal tally basis. But money alone does not win medals.

"Our strengths are tradition, which makes the sport in our country interesting for beginners, and our clubs, 65 at the moment with 3,500 fencers, that support and develops fencers, whether they are children, or if they do it for fun as a hobby, or if they are world class athletes," Fuleky said.

Alongside a system that fosters world class fencers, the national coaches work together with the club coaches to develop fencing strategies and methods to continue Hungary's fencing tradition.

Veteran fencers are also lending their skills to Hungary's current fencing stars. Epee fencers Krisztian Kulcsar and Emese Szasz are now coached by Gyoko Kulcsar, a four-time Olympic Gold medalist.