# Fencing at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's épée

The men's épée was one of ten fencing events on the fencing at the 2000 Summer Olympics programme. It was the twenty-third appearance of the event. The competition was held on 16 September 2000. 42 fencers from 22 nations competed. Each nation was limited to three fencers. The event was won by Pavel Kolobkov of Russia, the nation's second consecutive victory in the men's individual épée (Aleksandr Beketov had won in 1996). Russia joined a five-way tie for third-most gold medals in the event at two (behind Italy at six and France at five). Kolobkov, who had a silver medal in 1992 representing the Unified Team, was the 11th man to win multiple medals in the event. France's Hugues Obry took silver in Sydney, returning France to the podium after a one-Games absence snapped a four-Games medal streak. Lee Sang-ki earned South Korea's first medal in the event with his bronze.

## Background

This was the 23rd appearance of the event, which was not held at the first Games in 1896 (with only foil and sabre events held) but has been held at every Summer Olympics since 1900.
Three of the eight quarterfinalists from 1996 returned: silver medalist Iván Trevejo of Cuba, fourth-place finisher Iván Kovács of Hungary, and seventh-place finisher Kaido Kaaberma of Estonia. Also returning were 1992 gold medalist Éric Srecki of France and silver medalist Pavel Kolobkov of the Unified Team (representing Russia since 1996), both of whom had been defeated in the Round of 16 in 1996, as well as 1988 gold medalist Arnd Schmitt of West Germany (now Germany). Schmitt was the reigning World Champion, having won in 1999. Srecki had won both World Championships before (1995) and after (1997) his Olympic victory. Hugues Obry (1998) and Kolobkov (1993 and 1994) joined them, with the Sydney field including the last four World Champions having won the last six World Championships.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine each made their debut in the event. France, Sweden, and the United States each appeared for the 21st time, tied for most among nations.

## Competition format

The competition continued to use the entirely single-elimination (with bronze medal match) format introduced in 1996. All bouts were to 15 touches.

## Schedule

All times are Australian Eastern Standard Time (UTC+10)
| Date | Time | Round |
| Saturday, 16 September 2000 | 9:30 17:30 | Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Bronze medal match Final |

## Results
### Preliminary round

As there were more than 32 entrants in this event, ten first round matches were held to reduce the field to 32 fencers.
| Meelis Loit | Estonia | 15–7 | Wang Weixin | China |
| Aleksandr Poddubny | Kyrgyzstan | 15–13 | Andrus Kajak | Estonia |
| Michael Switak | Austria | 14–13 | Sergey Shabalin | Kazakhstan |
| Oleksandr Horbachuk | Ukraine | 15–14 | Nelson Loyola | Cuba |
| Mauricio Rivas | Colombia | 15–10 | Nick Heffernan | Australia |
| Vladimir Pchenikin | Belarus | 15–11 | Jonathan Peña | Puerto Rico |
| Gerry Adams | Australia | 15–13 | Carlos Pedroso | Cuba |
| Laurie Shong | Canada | 15–8 | David Nathan | Australia |
| Zhao Gang | China | 15–12 | Muhannad Saif El-Din | Egypt |
| Tamir Bloom | United States | 8–4 | Andrey Murashko | Belarus |

### Main tournament bracket

The remaining field of 32 fencers competed in a single-elimination tournament to determine the medal winners. Semifinal losers proceeded to a bronze medal match.
| Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Gold medal final | Gold medal final | Gold medal final |
| Pavel Kolobkov Russia | Pavel Kolobkov Russia | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Meelis Loit Estonia | Meelis Loit Estonia | 9 | Pavel Kolobkov (RUS) | Pavel Kolobkov (RUS) | 15 | | | | | | | | | |
| Lee Sang-Yeop South Korea | Lee Sang-Yeop South Korea | 15 | Lee Sang-Yeop (KOR) | Lee Sang-Yeop (KOR) | 8 | | | | | | | | | |
| Vitaly Zhakarov (BLR) | Vitaly Zhakarov (BLR) | 14 | | | | Pavel Kolobkov (RUS) | Pavel Kolobkov (RUS) | 15 | | | | | | |
| Ivan Trevejo (CUB) | Ivan Trevejo (CUB) | 15 | | | | Ivan Trevejo (CUB) | Ivan Trevejo (CUB) | 14 | | | | | | |
| Aleksandr Poddubny Kyrgyzstan | Aleksandr Poddubny Kyrgyzstan | 10 | Ivan Trevejo (CUB) | Ivan Trevejo (CUB) | 15 | | | | | | | | | |
| Alfredo Rota Italy | Alfredo Rota Italy | 15 | Alfredo Rota (ITA) | Alfredo Rota (ITA) | 12 | | | | | | | | | |
| Michael Switak Austria | Michael Switak Austria | 11 | | | | | | | Pavel Kolobkov (RUS) | Pavel Kolobkov (RUS) | 13 | | | |
| Oleksandr Horbachuk Ukraine | Oleksandr Horbachuk Ukraine | 9 | | | | | | | Lee Sang-Gi (KOR) | Lee Sang-Gi (KOR) | 9 | | | |
| Jörg Fiedler (GER) | Jörg Fiedler (GER) | 8 | Oleksandr Horbachuk (UKR) | Oleksandr Horbachuk (UKR) | 11 | | | | | | | | | |
| Éric Srecki (FRA) | Éric Srecki (FRA) | 15 | Éric Srecki (FRA) | Éric Srecki (FRA) | 15 | | | | | | | | | |
| Christoph Marik (AUT) | Christoph Marik (AUT) | 10 | | | | Éric Srecki (FRA) | Éric Srecki (FRA) | 14 | | | | | | |
| Lee Sang-Gi (KOR) | Lee Sang-Gi (KOR) | 15 | | | | Lee Sang-Gi (KOR) | Lee Sang-Gi (KOR) | 15 | | | | | | |
| Marc-Konstantin Steifensand (GER) | Marc-Konstantin Steifensand (GER) | 8 | Lee Sang-Gi (KOR) | Lee Sang-Gi (KOR) | 15 | | | | | | | | | |
| Mauricio Rivas (COL) | Mauricio Rivas (COL) | 15 | Mauricio Rivas (COL) | Mauricio Rivas (COL) | 13 | | | | | | | | | |
| Kaido Kaaberma (EST) | Kaido Kaaberma (EST) | 13 | | | | | | | | | | Pavel Kolobkov (RUS) | Pavel Kolobkov (RUS) | 15 |
| Peter Vánky (SWE) | Peter Vánky (SWE) | 15 | | | | | | | | | | Hugues Obry (FRA) | Hugues Obry (FRA) | 12 |
| Vladimir Pchenikin (BLR) | Vladimir Pchenikin (BLR) | 9 | Peter Vánky (SWE) | Peter Vánky (SWE) | 15 | | | | | | |
| Paolo Milanoli (ITA) | Paolo Milanoli (ITA) | 15 | Paolo Milanoli (ITA) | Paolo Milanoli (ITA) | 6 | | | | | | |
| Angelo Mazzoni (ITA) | Angelo Mazzoni (ITA) | 13 | | | | Peter Vánky (SWE) | Peter Vánky (SWE) | 12 | | | |
| Hugues Obry (FRA) | Hugues Obry (FRA) | 15 | | | | Hugues Obry (FRA) | Hugues Obry (FRA) | 15 | | | |
| Jean-François Di Martino (FRA) | Jean-François Di Martino (FRA) | 12 | Hugues Obry (FRA) | Hugues Obry (FRA) | 15 | | | | | | |
| Gerry Adams (AUS) | Gerry Adams (AUS) | 15 | Gerry Adams (AUS) | Gerry Adams (AUS) | 5 | | | | | | |
| Iván Kovács (HUN) | Iván Kovács (HUN) | 14 | | | | | | | Hugues Obry (FRA) | Hugues Obry (FRA) | 15 |
| Attila Fekete (HUN) | Attila Fekete (HUN) | 14 | | | | | | | Marcel Fischer (SUI) | Marcel Fischer (SUI) | 13 |
| Laurie Shong (CAN) | Laurie Shong (CAN) | 13 | Attila Fekete (HUN) | Attila Fekete (HUN) | 8 | | | | | | | Bronze medal final | Bronze medal final | Bronze medal final |
| Zhao Gang (CHN) | Zhao Gang (CHN) | 15 | Zhao Gang (CHN) | Zhao Gang (CHN) | 9 | | | | | | |
| Oliver Kayser (AUT) | Oliver Kayser (AUT) | 12 | | | | Zhao Gang (CHN) | Zhao Gang (CHN) | 10 | | | | Lee Sang-Gi (KOR) | Lee Sang-Gi (KOR) | 15 |
| Marcel Fischer (SUI) | Marcel Fischer (SUI) | 13 | | | | Marcel Fischer (SUI) | Marcel Fischer (SUI) | 15 | | | | Marcel Fischer (SUI) | Marcel Fischer (SUI) | 14 |
| Yang Noe-Seong (KOR) | Yang Noe-Seong (KOR) | 12 | Marcel Fischer (SUI) | Marcel Fischer (SUI) | 15 | | | | | | | | | |
| Arnd Schmitt (GER) | Arnd Schmitt (GER) | 15 | Arnd Schmitt (GER) | Arnd Schmitt (GER) | 10 | | | | | | |
| Tamir Bloom (USA) | Tamir Bloom (USA) | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Results summary

| Rank | Fencer | Nation |
| | Pavel Kolobkov | Russia |
| | Hugues Obry | France |
| | Lee Sang-Gi | South Korea |
| 4 | Marcel Fischer | Switzerland |
| 5 | Péter Vánky | Sweden |
| 6 | Iván Trevejo | Cuba |
| 7 | Éric Srecki | France |
| 8 | Zhao Gang | China |
| 9 | Arnd Schmitt | Germany |
| 10 | Alfredo Rota | Italy |
| 11 | Attila Fekete | Hungary |
| 12 | Lee Sang-Yeop | South Korea |
| 13 | Paolo Milanoli | Italy |
| 14 | Mauricio Rivas | Colombia |
| 15 | Gerry Adams | Australia |
| 16 | Oleksandr Horbachuk | Ukraine |
| 17 | Kaido Kaaberma | Estonia |
| 18 | Jörg Fiedler | Germany |
| 19 | Iván Kovács | Hungary |
| 20 | Oliver Kayser | Austria |
| 21 | Jean-François Di Martino | France |
| 22 | Marc-Konstantin Steifensand | Germany |
| 23 | Angelo Mazzoni | Italy |
| 24 | Vitaly Zakharov | Belarus |
| 25 | Yang Noe-Seong | South Korea |
| 26 | Christoph Marik | Austria |
| 27 | Michael Switak | Austria |
| 28 | Laurie Shong | Canada |
| 29 | Tamir Bloom | United States |
| 30 | Meelis Loit | Estonia |
| 31 | Vladimir Pchenikin | Belarus |
| 32 | Aleksandr Poddubny | Kyrgyzstan |
| 33 | Andrus Kajak | Estonia |
| 34 | Carlos Pedroso | Cuba |
| 35 | Nelson Loyola | Cuba |
| 36 | Jonathan Peña | Puerto Rico |
| 37 | Wang Weixin | China |
| 38 | Andrey Murashko | Belarus |
| 39 | Nick Heffernan | Australia |
| 40 | Sergey Shabalin | Kazakhstan |
| 41 | David Nathan | Australia |
| 42 | Muhannad Saif El-Din | Egypt |