These are just low- profiled U-20 fencing matches in which competitors are little known to the public and their teammates make up the bulk of the spectators.

But China's young fencers are taking the four-yearly City Games to sharpen their blades for more important events in the future.

"I am happy to win the City Games title but what I eye are the Beijing and London Olympics," said Chen Jinyan, gold medal winner of women's foil.

Chen's ambition is echoed by most of the individual event winners, finalists and even some of the young competitors who only made their way to quarterfinals.

"The goal of the City Games is to offer China's young fencers the experience that is helpful for their grow-up," said Ji Daoming, China's top fencing official.

As one of the handful of young fencers in the games who have had competed in international arena, Shanghai's Chen Xiaodong demonstrated dominance in women's sabre, winning the title with a 10-match sweep.

She was a member of the Chinese national sabre team that took the fourth place in the Bangkok Universiade in August.

Zhu Min, another top runner among China's fencing hopefuls and also member of the national squad, didn't seem to have normal play in her discipline.

She lost both the semifinal and the 3rd place matches, which is the biggest surprise in the three-day competition so far.

"It is very normal to see unexpected matches and fencers in City Games," said Ji.

Wen Danling from Guangzhou is widely considered the biggest dark horse in individual events. She almost came out from nowhere to snap down the epee gold.

Young fencers on the pistes here compose the backbone of a talented young Chinese team which will be very competitive in five to ten years, said a coach from northern Shenyang team.

China won unprecedented three silver fencing medals in the Athens Olympic Games. Luan Jvjie, who won women's foil in Los Angeles in 1984, is up to now the only fencing gold medalist in China's Olympic history.

(Xinhua News Agency October 30, 2007)