Left and right
Left-handers win 57% of their bouts against right-handers, in 264,639 bouts where the FIE says which hand both fence with. 14% of the 34,250 fencers whose hand it gives are left-handed.
By weapon and age
| Event | Left wins | Bouts |
|---|---|---|
| Cadet Men’s Épée | 56% | 1,923 |
| Junior Men’s Épée | 58% | 20,170 |
| Senior Men’s Épée | 55% | 43,081 |
| Cadet Women’s Épée | 61% | 1,637 |
| Junior Women’s Épée | 58% | 15,074 |
| Senior Women’s Épée | 58% | 32,157 |
| Cadet Men’s Foil | 57% | 1,911 |
| Junior Men’s Foil | 56% | 18,218 |
| Senior Men’s Foil | 57% | 34,705 |
| Cadet Women’s Foil | 62% | 1,498 |
| Junior Women’s Foil | 60% | 13,397 |
| Senior Women’s Foil | 56% | 23,100 |
| Cadet Men’s Sabre | 53% | 1,125 |
| Junior Men’s Sabre | 55% | 10,956 |
| Senior Men’s Sabre | 55% | 17,212 |
| Cadet Women’s Sabre | 57% | 1,062 |
| Junior Women’s Sabre | 62% | 9,599 |
| Senior Women’s Sabre | 58% | 17,814 |
At each stage
How many of the fencers in each stage’s bouts are left-handed; the line is their share of all.
| Stage | Left-handed | Fencers in bouts |
|---|---|---|
| Pools | 19% | 1,362,179 |
| Table of 256 | 20% | 19,700 |
| Table of 128 | 20% | 91,543 |
| Table of 64 | 23% | 127,021 |
| Table of 32 | 23% | 61,498 |
| Table of 16 | 24% | 33,669 |
| Quarter-finals | 25% | 17,331 |
| Semi-finals | 27% | 8,761 |
| Final | 28% | 4,403 |
Hands come from fencers’ FIE profiles, read a few dozen at a time, so the figures grow as more are read. Bouts are the FIE’s, from 2014.