When and where did you begin this sport?

She began fencing at age 11.

Why this sport?

She tried a number of sports, including dancing and taekwondo, before finding fencing. "I was interested in taekwondo and so I did it all the way until I was age 11 and I got my black belt. But then my mother still wanted me to dance and in between she made me do ice skating. I liked it, but I was not so good at it. And then my father stepped in and said, 'Why don't you try fencing?' Fencing is like the ballet of sports, it is very elegant. I really, really liked fencing so I started it at age 11."

When and where did you begin this sport?

He took up the sport in 1998 in Point-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe.

Why this sport?

He developed an interest in fencing after a demonstration at his school, and was also inspired by Zorro. "I wanted to do karate but there was no competition available so I decided to try fencing. I chose epee because it's more expressive than foil, where the referee is too present."

When and where did you begin this sport?

She began fencing in 2000 at the CUS Siena club in Italy.

Why this sport?

Her father suggested she try the sport. "I remember being fascinated by the uniforms. I had never seen fencing before but as soon as I started, it immediately became my passion."

When and where did you begin this sport?

He took up the sport at age six at the Circolo Scherma Terni club in Italy.

Why this sport?

He followed his older brother into the sport. "I fell in love with the sport and the people I met - maybe that's why I lost my head in fencing."

When and where did you begin this sport?

She began fencing at age 14 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Why this sport?

She played the piano when she was younger, but she came to dislike it. Her older brother was already involved in fencing and she decided to follow him into the sport. "When I was 14, my older brother Grigoriy encouraged me to do fencing, for which I am very grateful. It was rather late [to start training in] our sport. It took me two years to try and understand."

When and where did you begin this sport?

He took up the sport at Zeta Fencing in Natick, MA, United States of America. The club was a few minutes from his house, and run by national men's sabre coach Zoran Tulum. He began focusing on fencing ahead of all other sports while he was in high school.

Why this sport?

His brother Philip encouraged him to start fencing. He also enjoyed the creative aspect of the sport. "I love how, no matter what you do, your opponent can do something and then you do something else to try and win a touch. No two touches are the same."