The Foil World Cup starts on Thursday at the New Administrative Capital in Cairo.

The three-day event, from 23 to 26 February, will see the participation of 368 male and female athletes representing 45 nations. They will compete in both the individual and teams events at the “The Club” Club.

The overall number of participants will reach 500 when including team officials, which sets a new record of participants in a fencing world event.

Altogether 202 male athletes from 37 countries and territories will take part in the men’s competition: Argentine, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Spain, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Jordan, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Lebanon, Mali, Poland, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Senegal, Singapore, Serbia, Slovakia, China Taipei, the UAE, Ukraine, the US, Uzbekistan, and host Egypt.

A total of 166 female athletes are taking part from 35 countries and territories: Argentine, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Spain, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Jordan, Japan, South Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Singapore, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, the UAE, Ukraine, the US, Uzbekistan, and Egypt.

Egypt’s foil competitors include 19 male athletes: Alaa Abul-Kassem, Mohamed Hamza, Mohamed Essam, Mohamed Hossameddin, Youssef Fouda, Abdel-Rahman Tolba, Seif Al-Ghaiesh, Soheil Nawar, Yehia Madi, Abdel-Rahman Hafour, Youssef Sanaa, Ahmed Hendawi, Saleh Mohamed, Abdel-Rahman Fouda, Karim Assem, Ayman Al-Ghaiesh, Ahmed Tarek, Mohamed Bahieddin, and Tamer Zein Al-Abdeen.

The women’s participants also include 19 athletes: Yara Al-Sharkawi, Noha Hani, Noura Mounir, Malak Hamza, Logine Khaled, Salma Hani, Ingi Khaled, Jana Mosleh, Jana Ihab, Aicha Mohamed, Aliaa Radwan, Jana Mohamed, Sara A-Malah, Hana Al-Nahas, Hager Ahmed, Yasmin Amr, Jana Al-Malah, and Hania Al-Menshawi.

The team is trained under the supervision of Italian head coach Valerio Aspromonte.

“Egypt has been hosting the Men’s Foil World Cup for several years now, but this year is the first time we host both the men’s and women’s World Cup in the same event which is a new experience for the International Fencing Federation,” President of the Egyptian Fencing Federation Abdel-Moneim Al-Husseini said. “If this year’s event in Egypt goes well, the IFF will then apply it to all future World Cups and championships. Holding both the men’s and women’s competitions together in one event leads to saving money by all participating countries.”

On the other hand, Egyptian U17 & 20 fencers have amazingly dominated the African Championship which was held from 16 to 20 February in Accra, Ghana and concluded on Monday, by whopping an overall 38 total medley medals in both the individual and team events; 32 individual medals and six medals in the Teams.

Individually, the young fencers won 11 gold, 8 silver and 13 bronze, while the Teams clinched 5 gold and one silver.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 23 February, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly