Chinese fencers are set to take on top-ranked Italians in the
Olympic men's foil individual competition which starts on Monday at
the Hellinoko Fencing Hall.
Wang Haibin, team silver medal winner in the 2000 Olympics, and
his longtime teammate Dong Zhaozhi are to be joined by new-blood
and top-ranked Wu Hanxiong, rated seventh in the world.
Each Chinese could meet one of Italy's world top three players
on his way to the semifinals.
The 31-year-old Wang has world No. 1 Andrea Cassara waiting at
the upper part of the draw should both make it to the
quarterfinals. Salvatore Sanzo, ranked second in the world, is
drawn with Wu at the bottom zone, and the two could meet before the
last eight.
Dong, whose wife gave birth to a baby girl one day before he
left for Athens on August 8, could face Simone Vanni, Italy's third
seed, with the winner entering the quarters.
Chinese fencers won't face each other until the semifinals.
(People's Daily? August 16, 2004)?