Opening-Round Matchups and Bout Times Announced for U.S. Olympic Fencing Team

PARIS, France — The FIE (International Fencing Federation) held its draw today inside the Grand Palais — the historic building that serves as the venue for Olympic fencing.

First, fencers were ordered according to their FIE rankings. This ensures that the highest-ranked fencers do not meet in the early rounds, rewarding success throughout the season.

But the seeding process is not strictly 1 vs. 32, 2 vs. 31, and so on. During Thursday’s draw, pairings (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, etc.) were randomized and could potentially flip, adding an element of unpredictability.

Because the individual events have more than 32 fencers apiece, each individual competition starts with an incomplete table of 64. 

On the strength of their world rankings, all 15 Team USA fencers competing in the individual events have received byes into the Round of 32. And all those bouts — plus the ones that follow — will stream live on Peacock. Select medal round bouts will air live on USA Network, CNBC and E! (Check out the broadcast schedule.)

For the team event, the bracket is determined by each team’s FIE rankings. No random flipping there — it’s strictly 1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5.

Here’s who is fencing whom and when those first individual bouts (Round of 32) or team matches (Quarterfinals) will begin. (See the full bracket.)

Hadley Husisian vs. Pauline Brunner (SUI)

5:15 a.m. ET (11:15 a.m. Paris), Blue Strip

Margherita Guzzi Vincenti vs. Vlada Kharkova (UKR)

5:15 a.m. ET (11:15 a.m. Paris), Green Strip

Anne Cebula vs. Rossella Fiamingo (ITA)

5:40 a.m. ET (11:40 a.m. Paris), Green Strip

Colin Heathcock vs. Sang-Won Park (KOR)

6:30 a.m. ET (12:30 p.m. Paris), Yellow Strip

Mitchell Saron vs. Maxime Pianfetti (FRA)

6:55 a.m. ET (12:55 p.m. Paris), Blue Strip

Eli Dershwitz vs. Csanád Gemesi (HUN)

7:45 a.m. ET (1:45 p.m. Paris), Yellow Strip

Jackie Dubrovich vs. Flora Pasztor (HUN)

4:55 a.m. ET (10:55 a.m. Paris), Red Strip

Lauren Scruggs vs. Amita Berthier (SGP)

5:25 a.m. ET (11:25 a.m. Paris), Blue Strip

Lee Kiefer vs. winner of Youssra Zakarani (MAR)/ Martyna Jelinska (POL)

5:55 a.m. ET (11:55 a.m. Paris), Red Strip

Elizabeth Tartakovsky vs. Nada Hafez (EGY)

4:25 a.m. ET (10:25 a.m. Paris), Red Strip

Magda Skarbonkiewicz vs. Nisanur Erbil (TUR)

4:50 a.m. ET (10:50 a.m. Paris), Blue Strip

Tatiana Nazlymov vs. Sebin Choi (KOR)

5:15 a.m. ET (11:15 a.m. Paris), Red Strip

Gerek Meinhardt vs. Haiwei Chen (CHN)

6:35 a.m. ET (12:35 p.m. Paris), Yellow Strip

Alexander Massialas vs. Jeremy Fafa Keryhuel (CIV)

7:35 a.m. ET (1:35 p.m. Paris), Blue Strip

Nick Itkin vs. winner of Alex Tofalides (CYP)/Adrian Wojtkowiak (POL)

7:35 a.m. ET (1:35 p.m. Paris), Red Strip

USA vs. Poland

7:30 a.m. ET (1:30 p.m. Paris), Green Strip

USA vs. Islamic Republic of Iran

7:30 a.m. ET (1:30 p.m. Paris), Red Strip

USA vs. People's Republic of China

5:50 a.m. ET (11:50 a.m. Paris), Red Strip

USA vs. Republic of Korea

7 a.m. ET (1 p.m. Paris), Yellow Strip

USA vs. Egypt

5:50 a.m. ET (11:50 a.m. Paris), Green Strip