Brazilian kids learning there are sports other than soccer, like fencing

As Rio gears up for the Summer Olympics in August, fencing — like most other amateur sports in this soccer-mad nation — remains little known in Brazil. This Rio-wide program is aimed at changing that.

These kids want to have moves like Zorro.

The Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (FIE), the sport's governing body, together with the Brazilian government are reaching into 40 public schools (two each day through March and April) with the aim of whipping up a following for the Olympic sport.

The students in Rio's Parana municipal school took to the sport well, coach Arno Schneider said in an interview with Reuters. Their inspiration: the quick-footed heroes they grew up watcing in movies.

"Children have that dream of the sword fights that they see in films, in Zorro, Romeo and Juliet — a duel very similar to what we have in this sport," he said.

From the schoolyard to real Olympic venues.

In addition to tutelage on the finer points of parry and riposte, the youngsters taking part in the project get free tickets to the Fencing Grand Prix and to the World Championships, which will be held in the new Carioca Arena in late April. 

The arena, in Rio's Barra da Tijuca neighborhood (pictured while under construction in October last year) will host fencing, taekwondo and judo, during the 2016 Olympics.  

Creating young fans is the thrust of the program.

With a newfound enthusiasm for fencing, 12-year-old Cacique da Silva Felicia says he will be the first one rooting for Olympic fencers when the Games come to Brazil.

"I thought it was really cool, I would like to do it again if there were another opportunity," he says. "When [the Games] come to Rio, I'll be here cheering for Brazil."

Take a look at the Brazilians poised to reach the podium.

Brazilian fencer Renzo Agresta, who at 28 has already been to three Olympics, trained in Rome ahead of the 2012 Games and up-and-comer Rayssa Costa, who made Brazil's national team at 17, says she is aiming for the podium in 2016.

That's Agresta on the podium in Toronto after tying for a bronze medal with Argentina's Ricardo Bustamante in the individual sabre event at the PanAm Games in July last year. (Canadian Joseph Polossifakis and American Eli Dershwitz won the silver and gold medals.)

Below that is Costa, far right, with teammate Amanda Simeao cheering on Nathalie Moellhausen in the epee team event at the Pan Am Games in Toronto. They went on to win a bronze medal in the event.