Paris Olympics - Selection Criteria - Updated

Fencing NZ has recently been working with the NZOC to publish the Selection Criteria for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The NZOC has strict selection criteria that require evidence that NZ athletes are capable of finishing in the top 16 in Paris to be selected as part of the NZ Team.

To this end, the full NZOC Fencing selection criteria for Paris 2024 has now been published on the NZOC website https://www.olympic.org.nz/assets/Paris-2024-Nomination-Criteria-Final-v2.pdf

Some important points to note.

Current selection policy is for individuals. If, in the coming few months, any weapons start to approach the teams points required for FIE Team selection this will be revisited.

Criteria Summary

1. Be on the FeNZ/NZOC Fencing long list. (Expressions of Interests where the Athlete is a regular member of Fencing New Zealand will be requested no later than 5.00pm, 24 November 2023)
   
   
2. Be selected for the 2024 Paris Olympics by the FIE (On ranking position or appropriate zonal qualifier results)
   
   
3. On top of (2), the NZOC requires evidence of top 16 potential.  FeNZ has not been able to influence this mandatory requirement of all NZ sports
   
   
4. In order to meet (3) a fencer must gain a top 32 placing* at World senior level  (World Cup, Grand Prix, World Championship [Not Zonal] - during the selection window)
   
   
5. AND provide evidence for the selectors to convince NZOC of your top 16 potential. i.e. beat a World top 32 seeded fencer / get into a top 16 at a World senior event, Consistent upward trajectory of World senior results etc.

* in an Olympic Context where only three eligible athletes per country are considered.

It should be noted in the past that NZ fencers have passed the early stages of this process, but not been able to convince the NZOC to confirm their FIE selection (stage 5) due to the lack of evidence on being at a sufficiently high standard.

We'd like to thank the Selectors for the time they've put in working with the NZOC to produce this new policy.

We wish fencers to dare to dream big, to focus on the training to achieve your goals and good luck.