BEIJING, 17 April - Fencing is one of the oldest sports in Olympic history - and in sports history.

Fencing, or duelling as a way of setting arguments, has been known for more than 3000 years.

In 1896 when the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, fencing was included on the schedule.

However, the sports has changed considerably in the last 100 years, with a heavy usage of technology to aid in the scoring and judging of the sport, enhancing it visually and creating a dynamic competition for spectators and athletes alike.

And whereas in 1896 only men competed in two weapons -- foil and sabre -- today men and women duel for Olympic medals with three different weapons: foil, epee and sabre.

The use of three different weapons does not just mean the same sport is practised with just different instruments. The weapons mean totally different styles, and it's often said also different personalities of athletes.

Whereas in epee fencing every touch anywhere on the opponent leads to a point (from the top of the mask to the tip of their boot), in foil fencing only the attacker can score with a touch to the torso.

This sometimes leads to passionate disscussions with the refree, as all three parties debate their views on attack or non-attacke.

The sabre draws somee of its rules from foil, in that only the attacking fencer can score. But in sabre, a fencer can also score with a hit from the edge of the blads as well as the tip, anywhere on the body from the waist up, making this discipline lightning fast.

The rules of fencing are essencially the same for all three weapons: two combatants try to touch each other with their weapons, without being touched themselves and without leaving the piste - the playing surface.

In an individual bout there are three times three minutes to reach 15 points, though if time is exceeded, the fencer with the most points wins.

In the team event, each member of the team (three plus one reserve) fences against all opposing team members, for nine bouts.

Scoring is limited to five possible points in the first segement, ten in the second, and so on up to 45 points in the last segement.

In Beijing, the World Championships for men's team foil and women's team epee will be contested, with many of the world's top fencers in attendance.

Additionally, a men's individual foil event will be held, as part of the Beijing Olympic Games test event progamme, to test technology systems and operation readiness.