The Venezuelan delegation begins today its participation in the XIX edition of the 2022 Bolivarian Games, one day before the opening ceremony, with fencing competitions, to be held until Tuesday in the Great Hall of the Country Club in the city of Valledupar.
In this discipline, athletes from nine countries will compete for the 12 medals awarded by this sport (6 in the men's and 6 in the women's branches) in individual and team events in the foil, saber and épée modalities.
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Today the men's and women's épée and the foil will come into action.
Rubén Limardo, Guianan épée athlete, London 2012 Olympic champion and five-time Pan American individual champion, leads the Venezuelan team on the platform.
Rubén Limardo, who debuts today, aims for his fifth Olympic Games in Paris 2024. In Valledupar, the Bolivarian will seek his first individual gold medal in the history of the Bolivarian Games. In Sucre 2009, Rubén lost the final against his compatriot Silvio Fernández. In Trujillo 2013 he did not participate because yellow fever prevented him from doing so. In Santa Marta 2017, Rubén won the team title and did not see action in the individual, because he had problems with his leg.
Antonio Leal to revalidate
The Venezuelan espadista Antonio Leal will seek to revalidate the title obtained in the Bolivarianos de Santa Marta 2017, when he faces the Colombian Miguel Grajales today.
In female, the espadrist María Gabriela Martínez, cousin of the Limardo brothers, also comes out today to defend the crown won five years ago. Lizze Asis completes the group that goes into action today.
Venezuela will seek to regain dominance in the general medal table of the Bolivarians.
