Chinese fencing fans at the ongoing 5th Chinese City Games are delighted to find out they could cherish some Olympic hope along with a 19-year-old epee boy in a couple of years.

Tuo Tong, who finished 26th in the world fencing championships in Havana earlier this month, is trying hard to make his way to the Olympics, which have always been dominated by the European fencers.

Though ousted in the individual quarter-final at the city games and failed to lead the Chengdu team for the men's epee title, Tuo was still enjoying his new figure as the heralded swordsman from horizon and showed his confidence to make Olympic debut.

"There's still three stops to go including the fencing World Cup before 2004 Olympics, and I'll try my best to fight there, boosting my world ranking for a place in the Olympics," said Tuo, who now ranked 33rd after gaining eight more points at the worlds.

Born in Sichuan province, Tuo began his fencing training in 1995 and was selected into the military team by his present coach Sun Qi at the 1998 Chinese boys fencing championship. "He is promising in fencing, adaptable and patient with world-class techniques," said Sun.

After the 9th National Games in Guangdong, Tuo was called into the national team in November, 2001, and began his international cruise the next year. His harvest season came this year, advancing to the 32-strong finals in the worlds as the only fencer from China.

Playing for his only Grand Prix this year in Stockholm last June, Tuo stormed into the finals, only losing to his French rival in the last minute. In the World Junior Championships in Italy, He lost in the final to his teammate Ren Lei.

The diligent fencer expected he could gain more in the next year. "My dream is to take a position in the Olympics," said Tuo Tong.

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