Olga Kharlan (UKR, G0-S0-B2) can become the second woman to win as many as three Olympic medals in the women's individual sabre event.
Misaki Emura (JPN) won both of the last two world titles in this event (2022 and 2023). She could become the first reigning world champion to win the Olympic gold medal in the women's individual sabre event.
Coming into the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Japan had never won an Olympic medal in a women's fencing event.
Manon Apithy-Brunet (FRA) took bronze in the women's individual sabre event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (held in 2021). It is France's only Olympic medal in this event.
Sara Balzer (FRA) won the FIE Annual Award for Senior Top-Ranked Individuals in 2023, having secured 4 senior World Cup individual titles over the past season.
France has won Olympic gold medals in women's epee and foil events, but not yet in a sabre event.
United States (G2-S1-B2) has won a record five Olympic medals in the women's individual sabre event. USA's last medals in this event date back to 2008, when it swept the podium.
Theodora Gkountoura (GRE) could win the first Olympic medal in fencing for Greece since 1896 (G2-S1-B1 in men's fencing). She took a bronze medal in in the women's individual sabre event at the 2023 World Championships.
Yoana Ilieva (BUL) could hand Bulgaria its first Olympic medal in fencing. She claimed a bronze medal in in the women's individual sabre event at the 2023 World Championships.
Italy claimed 11 medals in the women's individual sabre event at world championships (G0-S3-B8), but it has never won an Olympic medal in a women's sabre event (individual or team).
Italy has already won Olympic medals in women's foil and epee events, and in all three different weapons in men's fencing (sabre, foil and epee).
Lucia Martin-Portugues (ESP) hopes to become the first woman representing Spain to win an Olympic medal in fencing. Spain's only Olympic medal in fencing was a bronze medal for Jose Luis Abajo in the men's individual epee event in 2008.
