Like the seasoned fencers that they are, both sides are now mixing provocative stuff with more measured statements.

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Events involving the epee, the heaviest of fencing weapons, are the only ones where fencers can score points by targeting their opponent's entire body, says Ms. Halls.

WSJ: The Finer Points of Balancing Fencing and Family

Other attendees at the chapel ceremony were Venezuelan-born Formula One racer Pastor Maldonado and fencer Ruben Limardo, who beat the world's top fencers to win gold at the London Olympics.

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The New York Athletic Club, a major supporter of top U.S. fencers, covers much of that, but the biggest financial cost for an adult Olympic hopeful like Lawrence is lost wages.

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"At the top level, fencers need to specialize in one of the three weapons as the actions and responses" are different for each weapon, says Evelyn Halls, a corporate attorney in Melbourne, Australia, and competitive fencer.

WSJ: The Finer Points of Balancing Fencing and Family