En garde! USA Fencing's Summer Nationals are here

The USA Fencing Summer Nationals are taking over the convention center this week, with dozens of local athletes competing alongside some of the best fencers in the world.

Why it matters: Crowds will get a chance to meet Paris-bound Olympians and see other top athletes compete up close in USA Fencing's signature contest.

• An estimated 10,000 attendees are expected to inject $7 million into our local economy, Columbus Business First reports, another example of Columbus' push to be a major hub for diverse sporting events .

By the numbers: The competition features a record-breaking number of fencers, with over 6,200 participants from 45 states, including 86 Central Ohioans ages 9 to 73.

• By comparison, last year's event had about 5,300 fencers.
• Columbus most recently hosted the summer nationals in 2019 .

Zoom in: Reynoldsburg's Tierna Oxenreider , 20, took gold Saturday for women's épée in Division I, the highest level of competition.

How it works: Fencing has three variations: foil , épée , and sabre . Competitors score by touching an opponent in a designated target area on their body with the tip of the weapon.

• Vests with electronic sensors help officials determine who landed the first hit.
• Mental agility is just as crucial as physical finesse.

Context: Fencing is an original Olympic sport with roots in dueling and has been popular in Europe for centuries.

• Its popularity is surging in the U.S. — and the Olympics , starting later this month, are expected to give it another boost.

What they're saying: Columbus has contributed to the sport's growth in recent decades, says Julia Richey, who founded the city's oldest fencing club, Royal Arts Academy , in 2001. Oxenrider is one of her former students.

• Richey helped bring fencing to the Arnold Sports Festival in 2004, providing exposure to hundreds of thousands of annual visitors.
• The Arnold Fencing Classic has since spun off into a separate Ascalon Sword Festival .

👀 The final word: "My personal goal is to make fencing more popular than football in Columbus," Richey tells us. "I'm still working on it."

Stop by: Events start at 8am daily at the convention center, through July 8. Free!

• A schedule and live results .

Pro tip: Stop by the Absolute Fencing booth on Saturday to get autographs from Olympic team members.