Swiss fencer Michael Kauter said on Wednesday that he expected to win a medal in the Beijing Olympic Games.

Kauter will participate in the men's individual epee competition. Wednesday morning, he had his first training session at the Fencing Hall of the National Convention Center.

"I have been to three world championships and I train all day. I have come a long way to get here and have focused on training in the past four years," said the world 6th-ranked fencer.

"I expect entry into the first eight and perhaps a medal. Why not?" he added.

Kauter rated Matteo Tagliariol as his top rival.

"Italy are very good and I expect Matteo Tagliariol to be very strong," he said. "There are 20 fencers I have competed against. I have beaten them; they have beaten me, so it is very open. The matches are fifty-fifty." said the 29-year-old.

Early this month, Kauter won a bronze medal at the European fencing championships in Kiev, Ukraine. Two weeks earlier, he won an epee World Cup tournament in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

(Xinhua News Agency July 31, 2008)