Paris Paralympics 2024: How does the sport of wheelchair fencing work?

The wheelchair fencing competition at the Paralympic Games is in full swing, taking place under the prestigious glass dome of the Grand Palais in the heart of Paris.

Here is what you need to know to follow the competition.

What is wheelchair fencing?=================

Wheelchair fencing adapts traditional fencing for athletes with impairments affecting their motor function.

Athletes compete in stationary wheelchairs fixed to the floor, relying solely on upper body strength, agility, and reflexes.

The objective is to score hits or touches on the opponent, recorded by an electronic system due to the speed of the bouts.

In singles competition, matches last three minutes or until one fencer scores 15 hits. In team events, three fencers from the same country compete one after another in singles bouts. The winning team is the first to reach 45 cumulative points or have the most points when time is up.

The weapons and rules================

Wheelchair fencing features three types of