A 15-10 victory over Norway's Bartosz Piasecki at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre on 1 August 2012 secured the individual épée gold medal for Rubén Limardo. This performance at the London Olympic Games marked the first time a Venezuelan athlete had earned a medal in fencing and provided Latin America with its first Olympic épée gold since 1904.
Early Development and Transition
Born in 1985 in Ciudad Bolívar, Limardo started fencing at age seven. His initial training involved the foil, which he practiced as a right-handed athlete. Following an injury, he shifted his focus to the épée and transitioned to using his left hand. His early exposure to the sport came through an uncle who had encountered fencing while in Hungary. His brothers, Francisco and Jesús, also pursued professional fencing careers, and Limardo himself later joined the Piast Gliwice club, establishing a training base in Łódź, Poland.
Olympic Competition History
Limardo made his Olympic debut at the 2008 Games, finishing 23rd in the épée competition. His 2012 gold medal victory in London represented only the second time Venezuela had secured a gold medal in any sport, following the 1968 success of boxer Francisco Rodríguez. In the subsequent Olympic cycles, Limardo represented his country at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, where he served as the flagbearer during the opening ceremony, the 2020 Tokyo Games, and the 2024 Paris Games. In these latter three individual events, he was eliminated in the round of 32 by Ayman Mohamed Fayez, Romain Cannone, and Tibor Andrásfi, respectively.
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Beyond the Olympic stage, Limardo has maintained a high level of competition within the Pan American circuit. He holds the title of five-time team Pan American champion and four-time individual Pan American champion. In 2015, he expanded his professional activities beyond athletics by winning election to the National Assembly as a member of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, serving in the Chamber of Deputies.
National Recognition
Following his 2012 gold medal win, Limardo received the Venezuelan Order of the Liberator. President Hugo Chávez acknowledged the achievement by presenting the athlete with a gold replica of the sword originally owned by Simón Bolívar, which was decorated with precious stones.
Fast facts
- Born: 1985, Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela
- Sport: Épée Fencing
- Olympic Gold: 2012 London individual épée
- Political Office: Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Venezuela
- Pan American Titles: Five-time team, four-time individual champion
- Handedness: Left-handed
- Club Affiliation: Piast Gliwice
- Residency: Łódź, Poland
Questions readers ask
How many Olympic Games has Rubén Limardo competed in?
He has competed in four Olympic Games: 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024.
Did he always fence with his left hand?
No, he was originally a right-handed foil fencer but switched to his left hand following an injury.
What political party does he represent?
He was elected to the National Assembly in 2015 as a member of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela.
Achievements
- Represented Piast Gliwice
- Competed at fencing at the 2012 Summer Olympics – men's épée, fencing at the 2008 Summer Olympics – men's épée and fencing at the 2008 Summer Olympics – men's team épée
- Discipline: fencing
