London 2012: the hidden gems that can sparkle

For four years they remain largely out of sight but now is the chance for the so-called minority sports to woo a worldwide audience

Fencing

Fencing is the easiest sell in the Olympics. It is simply a matter of looking at it with the right kind of eyes. Seen one way, it is an obscure, complicated sport that Great Britain is not very good at. Look at it another way, however, and it is fighting with swords. What more could you possibly want? Except, perhaps, a duel to the death. It is like watching an old Errol Flynn swashbuckler on a spotlit stage in a silent auditorium, only with all the tedious love scenes cut out. The fencers, as befits Flynn's heirs, tend to be both hot and cool. The men are athletic, aristocratic army-types with chiselled jawlines. And the women, like Italy's three-time Olympic foil champion Valentina Vezzali tend to have long flowing locks of hair, which they toss around when they tear off their masks and scream in success or distress after each point. Frankly everyone looks good when wielding a sabre. The sport is further improved if you mutter dialogue from The Princess Bride while you watch: "You are using Bonetti's defence against me, ah?" "I thought it fitting considering the rocky terrain." "Naturally, you must suspect me to attack with Capo Ferro?" "Naturally ... but I find that Thibault cancels out Capo Ferro." "Unless the enemy has studied his Agrippa ... which I have." Andy Bull

Beach volleyball

During London's bid to host the Olympic Games, the staging of the beach volleyball became a totem. Like holding the equestrian events in Greenwich Park, the promise to dump 5,000 tonnes of sand on Horse Guards Parade in central London was emblematic of London's vision of a "compact" Games in iconic locations that would leave behind no white elephants and provide the best stage possible for the athletes. Horse Guards Parade is a long way from Santa Monica or Copacabana, but ever since Tony Blair joked that its siting so close to his office was a "masterstroke", the sport has been one of the most discussed of the Games. The central London ticket has also, unsurprisingly, been one of the more popular hospitality offerings outside the Olympic Park. But the athletes themselves sometimes bemoan the fact that the highly effective presentation of the sport, complete with earsplitting music and excitable MCs, obscures the fitness and athleticism required. In both the men's and women's events USA and Brazil will start as favourites. The American Misty May- Treanor, who will be partnered by Kerri Walsh, is the most successful women's player of all time. Owen Gibson

Equestrian

Greenwich Park is not everyone's idea of an Olympic three-day event venue – its limited size means the cross-country course will be shorter and twistier than usual – but it should at least be exciting. Its hilliness will make it testing and horses will find the narrowness of the path they have to thread between the trees claustrophobic. So will the 50,000 spectators who will be crammed into the park for the cross-country on 30 July. Most will be cheering for Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Phillips, though Britain's best hope of a medal lies with the world No1, William Fox-Pitt. But beware the brilliant reigning world and European champion Michael Jung from Germany, who is hotly tipped to complete the set of titles. In the individual showjumping the veteran Nick Skelton is Britain's best medal prospect, though the Germans and Dutch will be very strong. But for once showjumping may have to play second fiddle to dressage, the arcane horse ballet beloved of aficionados but largely incomprehensible to everyone else. Britain has never won a medal of any hue in dressage but there is huge confidence in the European championship-winning team of Laura Bechtolsheimer, Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester. Stephen Moss

(Adapted from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/jul/20/london-2012-gems-chance-shine?newsfeed=true)