Vietnamese fencer Nguyen Tien Nhat will know on Friday if he is to face one or two of the Olympic Games strongest fencing competitors in the first round in London.

It is a knockout round. Athletes who lose are out of the competition and generally flown back home. Nhat, Viet Nam's flag bearer, will compete in the men's epee event.

Phung Le Quang, head of the Viet Nam Fencing Department, said Nhat, who was not a high ranking seed, was expected to meet No 1 athlete Nikolai Novosjolov of Estonia or No 2 Max Heinzer of Switzerland.

"It is a big challenge to a fresh man like Nhat. It will be great if he could win one match in the Olympics," said Quang.

The draw for the event will be held on Friday. Olympic commutation will begin four days later at the ExCel Exhibition Centre in London.

However Quang said if Nhat applied suitable tactics, he could create an upset.– VNS