The men's individual sabre competition will be a meeting of the stars as the clash is expected to be launched between three Olympic champions on Tuesday.

The three favourite champions are Atlanta 1996 gold medallist Stanislav Pozdniakov from Russia, Olympic gold medallist from Sydney 2000, Mihai Covaliu from Romania, and the number one from Athens 2004, Italian Aldo Montano.

Besides the Atlanta triumph, Stanislav also brought home gold medals in the team event from Barcelona 1992 and Sydney 2000. He also won bronze with the team at Athens 2004.

Having a total of 17 world championships medals, he took gold at the world championships in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2006 and 2007. He also won the 2007-2008 World Cup in Moscow, Russia.

Mihai Covaliu is the Athens 2004 sabre gold medallist and the 2005 world champion, but at the world championships in 2007 he finished in a disappointing fifth place.

The Italian Aldo Montano won gold at Athens 2004 and placed second in the team event. At the 2007 world championships he finished second in individual and third in the team event. This year Montano has won the World Cup events in Las Vegas, United States, and Istanbul, Turkey.

He is also famous in Italy's non-sporting scene for his relationship with Italian showgirl Manuela Arcuri. In 2006 he was the star of a reality TV show called 'The Farm'.

Besides, Hungarian Zsolt Nemcsik, runner-up at Athens 2004 and at the 2006 World Championships in Turin, Italy, is also among the gold medal hopefuls.

Chinese fencer Wang Jingzhi carries the hope of winning a medal.

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2008)