The addition – which gives athletes a second shot on the podium – received a great reception during the Paris 2024 Olympics when it was introduced in sports like athletics. It is also a long-standing feature in judo and taekwondo.

Wheelchair fencing has developed its own take on the format, trialled at the 2023 World Championships, which will guarantee even more excitement at the Grand Palais.

How does it work?

Overall competition begins in the men’s and women’s individual epee, foil and sabre from the table of 32, whilst the repechage starts from the table of 16.

From here, the losers of these eight bouts and subsequent competition stages – except of course the final – will then have the chance to progress through four repechage tables. Repeated bouts between the same fencers are avoided throughout the repechage.

Ok, so what are the different stages of the repechage?

Athletes who lose first in the table of 16 will be placed into repechage 1 (R1), known as the ‘first round repechage’. The winners will advance as usual to the table of eight.

The next repechage table – R2 or table of eight repechage – is then formed out of the winners from R1 and the losers from the table of eight. Those fencers who lose their R1 bouts will be classified in positions 13-16.

The winners of the table of eight move forward as usual to the semi-finals.

Next, the R3 or ‘semi-final’ repechage bouts will feature the winners of R2 and the losers from the semi-finals. The final positions of 9-12 will be decided by the losers from R2 and positions 7-8 from R3.

Then comes the last chance to secure a medal – the R4 or ‘final repechage’ table. Fencers who are unsuccessful here are classified in positions 5-6 whilst the winners will progress to the bronze medal match in the evening session.

What events does the repechage feature in?

The repechage will feature in the individual men’s and women’s foil, sabre and epee.

The team events will remain in the same format as previous Paralympic Games, beginning from the table of 16.

Wheelchair fencing will take-over the iconic Grand Palais at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games from 3-7 September.

Athletes will compete in the men’s and women’s individual epee, sabre and foil category A and B and the men’s and women’s team epee and foil.

A total of 97 fencers have qualified for this edition of the Paralympic Games from 21 countries. A large number will be debutants as the sport continues its worldwide growth.