NEW DELHI: An eight-member national fencing team, which includes five players, left for Tashkent on Friday to compete in the Asian Olympic qualifiers.
The two-day tournament, which starts on Sunday, offers only six quota places, including three in the women's category, for the Tokyo Olympics. Bhavani Devi is the only Indian to have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. She did it in the sabre event.
"It will be a challenging task for the Indian fencing team," said an official of the Fencing Association of India (FAI). "Their performance in the previous Asian meet was not outstanding."
Sunil Kumar will compete in epee event while Karan Singh will participate in sabre. Th. Bicky will compete in foil.
In the men's section, India are fielding fencers in all the three events but since Bhavani Devi has qualified for Tokyo Olympics in the sabre event, India can't get another quota in the same event. Kavita Devi will compete in women's epee while Radhia Avati will compete in foil. IANS